Every good softball hitter dreams of having a big day at the plate. But their dreams never reach the sort of ridiculous heights Marcellus freshman Evelyn Webster attained in Wednesday’s game against Hannibal.
In one cold, windy afternoon, Webster put up a season’s worth of highlights and production, nearly tying the state record for RBIs in a single game – and doing it in just five innings as the Mustangs won a mercy rule-shortened 18-2 decision over the Warriors.
An RBI single in the bottom of the first inning was an appetizer. Then, as the game got out of hand during an 11-run second inning, the story quickly turned from the team result to what Webster was doing.
To start that second inning, Webster knocked in two runs with a triple. Then she came to bat again with the bases loaded and cleared them with a double, leaving her just a home run short of the cycle before the second inning was over.
In the fourth inning, with two more runners on, Webster sent one over the fence for that home run to get the cycle. And with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth, Webster ended the game and ran her total to 11 RBIs, one short of the single-game state record set by Nyack’s Angela Cruz back in 1985.
By herself, Webster was responsible for five of the Mustangs’ nine hits. Sydney Lewis had two others, while Caroline Trytek walked four times and kept scoring ahead of Webster, eventually plating five runs.
Before all this, Marcellus returned to action Tuesday and beat Christian Brothers Academy 10-2, the Mustangs taking full advantage of the Brothers’ defensive struggles.
Isabel Rodalico pitched a complete game, striking out eight to offset the seven hits she allowed. At the plate, Alyssa Cook and McKenna Donegan each got two hits, with Cook, Webster and Trytek scoring two runs apiece. Donegan,
Webster, Cook, Jessie Majo and Emily Durand each drove in a run, which offered no hint at what Webster would do a day later.
