The Hillcrest softball team put up a season-high eight runs on eight hits at Mediapolis (1-4) on Thursday, but couldn’t come back from an early eight-run deficit in an 18-8 loss.

The Ravens (0-4) scored their second run of the season when Madeline Fox and Sarah Miller led off the third inning with back to back doubles.
Miller, a senior third baseman, was 2 for 3 at the plate for the game. 

“I just saw a ball that I could hit and I was like, ‘I'll just hit it as hard as I can.’ ” Miller said. “Stand-up doubles just feel so good, so I was glad to get there and I was glad to bring Madeline in.”

Miller scored on a passed ball and Yani Gutierrez reached base on an error to score a run in the third inning as well. 

Malia Yoder drove in a run with a bases-loaded single in the fourth inning, and Meredith Blossom had a sacrifice ground ball to score a run. 

“I think playing smart on the bases was where we did our best in the game,” Miller said. “We were able to get on in some ways that were pretty unique. And we had some really good hits. And then there were a lot of heads up base-running instances. So I was really glad for that.”

Yoder finished 2 for 3 at the plate, and Madeline Fox was 2 for 3 with a walk. Evelyn Gerber and Esther Hughes each had a hit and a walk and Hughes had an RBI. Grace Miller was hit by a pitch and scored a run. 

Hillcrest scored multiple runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings. 

“Overall, at the plate we were more confident,” coach Kent Blossom said. “We were aggressive at the plate with runners in scoring position and we found ways to get them through. And in a ball game like this that’s exactly what you need to do — just extend the game as much as you can.” 

Ten fielding errors led to 10 unearned runs for Mediapolis. 

“Certainly giving up eight runs in the first was not the most helpful of things,” Blossom said. “But we stayed in it in some ways. They hit the ball well. And we’ll be excited to host them back at our place later on this season.”