P.K. Yonge and Countryside Christian huddle after Monday's game. [Lily Perkins]

P.K. Yonge Softball Edges Countryside Christian

Alexa Leipold March 28, 2025 Gainesville High School, High School Sports, PK Yonge High School, Softball 28 Views

An intense softball showdown happened Monday when the P.K. Yonge Blue Wave took on Countryside Christian Minutemen for a non-district home game. Both teams looked equally strong and capable of pulling out the win, but it was the Blue Wave who secured it by winning 9-6.

A Strong Start

P.K. Yonge senior starting pitcher Mickinzi Anderson dominated early by facing just six batters in the first two innings with four groundouts and a pop fly. At the plate, senior Makenzie Radford crushed a ball to center field to score two runs in the first inning.

Countryside Christian struggled in the bottom of the second in facing 10 batters, making two errors and allowing P.K. Yonge to score four runs. By the end of the second, the Blue Wave led  6-0.

Not Backing Down

After two rocky innings, the Minutemen were back for revenge. Leadoff batter Vanessa Colon’s beautiful bunt caused three errors for an in-the-park home run. Later, Riley Keith hit a monster RBI triple. The Minutemen’s defense did not allow a run from the third to the fifth inning.

With patient, confident at-bats the Minutemen scored three more runs in the fifth to come within 6-5  of P.K. Yonge. A sixth-inning line drive down left field by Joy Sullivan and a perfect bunt from Riley Mcleod allowed the tying run in. With one and a half innings left the momentum was swinging Countryside Christian’s way, but it was still anyone’s ball game.

Final Push

After losing the lead in the top of the sixth, the Blue Wave knew they had to respond. They started hot with a walk and a single to put two runners on base. The Minutemen fought back, earning a striking out followed by another out. With two outs P.K. Yonge didn’t flinch with bats loaded, junior Sydney Corona and Radford smashed back-to-back singles to bring in three crucial runs and reclaiming the lead at 9-6.

In the top of the seventh, Radford struck out the first two batters and an easy groundout secured the last out.

Up Next

P.K. Yonge’s record stands at 6-8 after losing 14-8 to Buchholz on Tuesday and beating Cedar Key 11-1 on Thursday. The Blue Wave play Union County at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

 

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