STAC SOFTBALL: 8TH-GRADER GONZALEZ LEADS WAVERLY TO 12-3 SEASON-OPENING WIN OVER ADDISON (24 PHOTOS) (2025-03-29)
Valley Sports ReportWAVERLY — Eighth-grader Taylin Gonzalez had quite a day in her varsity debut, leading Waverly to a season-opening, 12-3, win over Addison in non-league softball action Saturday afternoon.
Gonzalez, who reached base in all four at-bats, doubled and singled, scored three runs, and had four RBI. She also picked up the win with four innings of one-hit shutout relief, striking out two and hitting a batter.
"Our young players really stood out today, in particular, Taylin Gonzalez," said Waverly coach Brent Doane. "She drove in four runs for us today and pitch 4 Sterling innings.
"Our shortstop, Lecksie Douglas, only a 10th-grader, made some outstanding plays defensively and also had a nice day at the plate," added Doane.
Addison took advantage of two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
"We started poorly today, which I was very disappointed about," said Doane. "Giving up an unearned run with two errors to start the game was unsettling.
"That said, I was very pleased with the way we responded," he added.
Waverly lead-off hitter senior Brinn Cooney walked, but was thrown out attempting to steal second base. Junior Maddie Cron
Also drew a walk, but was wiped off the bases on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Hannah Carpenter.
After a walk to senior Makayla Esau, Carpenter took third on a wild pitch, and Esau stole second. Gonzalez then drove a ball into the left-center field gap that one-upped the wall to give Waverly a 2-1 lead.
Two pitches later, sophomore Lecksie Douglas hit a ball to nearly the exact same spot to score Gonzales and make it 3-1.
In the top of the third, a Waverly throwing error put runners on second and third. After a wild pitch scored a run, a line drive up the middle hit Waverly starter Brinn Cooney in the lower leg resulting a run scoring to tie it at 3-3. Cooney finished off the inning, but did not return.
In the home half of the third, Cron, who was hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning, scampered home on a passed ball to give Waverly a 4-3 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Addison put a runner on third base with one out with a bloop triple to right field that spun and rolled past the outfield. Gonzalez pitched out of the jam with a strikeout and a pop-up that Carpenter grabbed in foul territory.
The Wolverines bats kept the momentum going in the bottom of the fifth.
Cron, who reached base in all four of her plate appearances without a hit, walked to lead off the inning, and scored on the next pitch when Carpenter slammed an RBI double to make it 5-3.
After Esau was hit by a pitch, Gonazlez stroke an RBI single to push the lead to 6-4. With two outs, sophomore Meghan Apgar worked a walk, and junior Delaney Wheeler capped the rally with a two-run single to make it 8-3.
Waverly put the game away in the sixth inning with another four-run rally.
With one out, 8th-grader Ayla Wheeler was hit by a pitch and Cron worked walks to load bases. Esau followed with a walk to force home a run, and Gonzales knocked home a run with a fielder's choice to make it 10-3.
Douglas and Apgar capped the scoring with back-to-back RBI singles.
Gonzalez retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Douglas doubled and singled and drove in two runs for Waverly, while Carpenter doubled and scored three runs, Apgar singled and knocked in a run, Esau scored three runs, and Ayla Wheeler crossed the plate once.
"The season is young, but I think the very near future is bright if we can continue to grow, develop and bond as a team," said Doane.
Waverly returns to action Wednesday at Norwich.
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IN PHOTO: Waverly's Hannah Carpenter. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Taylin Gonzalez. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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