BUFORD — It was a dominant week for Buford softball, as the Wolves swept through four games with a combination of explosive offense and sharp pitching.
Doubleheader vs. Central Gwinnett — Tuesday, Sept. 16
Buford wasted no time in Game 1, plating 10 runs in the first inning en route to a 15-0 victory at 2750 Sawnee Ave. Valeria Ortiz, Mackenzie Fritisch and Olivia Nagel each drove in three runs, while Kennedy Townsend tossed three hitless innings with six strikeouts.
In Game 2, Hayden Halper powered the Wolves with two doubles and four RBIs in a 16-0 win. Buford’s bats stayed hot, scoring seven runs in the first and eight more in the second. Nagel was again dominant in the circle, striking out six in three no-hit innings.
Buford vs. Wesleyan — Wednesday, Sept. 17
The annual showdown with Wesleyan lived up to its billing, with Buford holding on for a 3-2 win. Addie Rackley set the tone with a first-inning home run, while Summer Castorri added an RBI double in the third. Buford’s final run came in the fifth on a Wesleyan throwing error.
Wesleyan rallied in the seventh to cut the deficit to one, but senior pitcher Caroline Stanton induced a groundout to end the game. Stanton finished with seven strikeouts and just one walk, remaining undefeated in the circle.
Buford vs. Mountain View — Thursday, Sept. 18
The Wolves capped the week with an 18-0 rout of Mountain View in three innings at the Buford Softball Complex. Buford struck for six runs in the first, highlighted by senior Kadyn Gabrels’ third homer of the season, a three-run blast. In the third, Stanton added her fifth homer of the year, a three-run shot, as the Wolves plated 11 runs.
Buford tallied 20 hits in the win, with multi-hit efforts from Castorri, Rackley, Brooklyn Atha and others. In the circle, Nagel and sophomore Taylor Jackson combined on a one-hit shutout, striking out three.
Next up, Buford (Varsity Wolves) travels to face region opponent Dacula Lady Falcons on Tuesday.
