6A playoffs: Fremont softball hopes to get groove back, beats Roy to open 1st round
-
- Fremont’s Audrey Cooper fires a pitch in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy’s Aviee Gomez throws across the diamond as Fremont’s Audrey Cooper slides into second in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont players celebrate during Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Ella Doxey, left, fields a throw as Roy’s Lorelai Sherrod (22) slides into the bag during Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Jessica Broadbent celebrates during Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy’s Delaney Jackson throws a pitch in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Fremont on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Kambri Smedley throws to the infield in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy’s Aviee Gomez swings during Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Fremont on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Kambri Smedley runs the bases in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy pitcher Delaney Jackson hurls a pitch in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Fremont on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont coach Ryley Buttars, left, greets a player at third base in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Kambri Smedley throws from the outfield in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy pitcher Delaney Jackson hurls a pitch in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Fremont on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Roy’s Quincy Johnson fields a ball in the outfield during Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Fremont on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
-
- Fremont’s Reata O’Neal throws across the diamond in Game 1 of a 6A first-round playoff series against Roy on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Plain City.
PLAIN CITY — If anyone’s softball season has resembled a roller coaster — save for the constant weather-related scheduling changes — it’s Fremont High’s.
The Silverwolves started the season 4-1, then went 8-3-1 over its next 12 games before losing five straight to end the regular season with a 12-9-1 record, including a 5-7 mark in Region 1.
As the state playoffs get underway, No. 12 Fremont is hoping to get back to the “up” part of its up-and-down season and took at least one step in that direction with a five-inning, 11-1 win over No. 21 Roy on Saturday to open up the teams’ best-of-three 6A playoff first-round series.
Audrey Cooper pitched all five innings for Fremont and also hit a two-run triple in the third inning, followed by a double in the fifth inning that started the Silverwolves’ scoring rally that triggered the run rule.
“I was excited, I was kind of nervous. I get nervous when I pitch, but it’s good to know my defense shows up and I trust them all, so it’s good,” Cooper said.
Saturday’s win was a welcome sight for Fremont (13-9-1), which had lost three of those five straight defeats by one run and has changed its lineup a few times this season.
“It puts us at just a little higher confidence level, a little higher excitement level. It’s good now heading into more playoffs to get that groove back again,” Cooper said.
The Silverwolves scored four runs in the first inning, punctuated by Jessica Broadbent’s two-run homer to center field with a stiff breeze blowing in from left.
Broadbent added an RBI single to her tally in the second inning and batted 3 for 3. Fremont had eight extra-base hits and scored in four of five innings.
“This week, we’ve been working on executing jobs. Doing your job at the plate and stringing hits together, and we did just that today,” Fremont coach Ryley Buttars said. “It was a full team win and they got the concept of that.”
Roy (6-14), trailing 9-0, got one back in the top of the fifth inning with Kylee Weitzel’s RBI single that scored Lorelai Sherrod.
Cooper lofted a double to the outfield fence to start the bottom of the fifth. Lexie Weston and Reata O’Neal followed with RBI hits of their own to end the game in five innings. Weston drove in four runs.
The second game of the series is scheduled for Monday at 3:30 p.m., with the third game, if necessary, to follow. The series winner is scheduled to play at No. 5 Pleasant Grove in the next round of the playoffs.
Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.