HOSCHTON — A flip of the switch might have complexities.
For Buford softball, it happens easily. Both ends of the switch work, too.
The proverbial switch has small ball on one side, and the home run on the other. Buford, which improved to 5-0, put it on full display in an 8-0 run-rule rout of region rival Mill Creek on Thursday.
Mill Creek gave Buford a tough test a year ago in the state semifinals, but the same couldn’t be said in the first regular-season faceoff. The Wolves extend their astonishing win streak to 44 consecutive wins in their quest for a third-straight state title.
“It’s a big win. It’s a huge win. Mill Creek has a great program and always has been with softball,” fourth-year head coach Trent Adams said. “We swung it really well and had very good approaches at the plate.”
Over the first two innings, Buford racked up a load of singles, triples and stolen bases. By the fourth inning, the usual suspects Caroline Stanton and Addie Rackley (yeah, the two pitchers who are also pretty good) hit back-to-back home runs for a rush of excitement for those in the road greys.
“Caroline does a good job with pitch selection,” Adams said. “She does not get herself out by swinging at pitches that are not in the zone. She can hit the ball from gap to gap.”
On, then off, the switch goes. But remember, both sides bring the same result — runs.
“It shows we have a very diverse lineup,” said Stanton, who posted another one-hit shutout in the circle. “We can do anything from hitting the long ball to bunting. We have every piece we need.”
Buford has scored seven-or-more runs in each of its five games. The mixture of ingredients, including the much-aforementioned switch, brings together the recipe. Buford has averaged 10.4 runs per game with a pair of region wins. The outlier came at Walnut Grove, a 19-run outburst, in which Buford scored 14 runs in the seventh inning.
The small ball and long ball each delivered scintillating plays. Sophomore catcher Janie Goldin reached on a fielding error by Mill Creek first baseman Abby Thetford. Seconds later, Goldin stole seconds and had a joyride around the bags as Mill Creek had two throwing errors in the same sequence.
An inning later, Stanton’s home run brought an echoing screech through the Mill Creek softball complex and Rackley followed. Buford built its commanding lead, then the curtain call capped it off. Junior Summer Castorri — who also notched a first-inning triple — blasted a two-run home run to score Izzy Rettiger.
If the Wolves received a keepsake softball as if little-league memories lived on, Castorri would’ve received it with a season-best 3-for-4 night with three RBI and two extra-base hits.
“We go into every single game with a plan,” Stanton said. “After an individual goes up to bat, we all share what we saw. It helps everyone and allows us and have more quality at-bat.”
Mill Creek starter Kenzie Fitch targeted the outside portion of the zone. It allowed Buford to “get on top of the plate,” Stanton said.
Buford’s win at Mill Creek served as a continuation of what it has done throughout the season. The offensive recipe refuses to spoil. Buford flips its switch whenever it wants to, and the small ball side of it works because the Wolves work on jumps, bunting and baserunning during every practice.
On Thursday, when the offense hummed along, Adams walked out of the dugout uttering his five favorite words.
“We can swing it, man,” he says.
