Ashbaugh sparks Carson to easy win

Lindsey Ashbaugh didn't blink an eye when asked if she was more excited about getting the pitching win or hitting a homer.

"The homer definitely," said Ashbaugh. "I've been really working on my hitting this year. For me to get that homer that shows how hard I've been working."

Ashbaugh went 4-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Carson High to an easy 20-2 five-inning win over Wooster in a Northern 4A softball game at Carson Tuesday afternoon.

Ashbaugh, who scattered seven hits to pick up the win, had plenty of offensive support.

Here were the key performers:

• Jen Purcell went 2-for-2 and drove in four runs;.

• Danielle Morrow drove in two runs with a first-inning single.

• Becca Breuer went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs with a single and three-run homer in the fifth.

• Kandis Tuttle drove in two runs with a first-inning single.

• Christa McGahuey doubled home a run.

• Ellise McGowan squeezed home a run.

• Emily Collins went 2-for-3 and scored four runs.

"We're hitting the ball well," Carson coach Scott Vickrey said after the 16-hit effort. "That's been our focus."

And, after Ashbaugh escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first, Carson's bats went to work with a 12-run first inning. Carson sent 17 hitters to the plate.

Walks to Collins, Purcell and McGahuey loaded the bases with no outs. Morrow followed with a two-run single, and then moved to third on a single by Ashbaugh. McGowan squeezed home Morrow to make it 3-0 and reached first in the process. Breuer reached on a fielder's choice and Hannah Winder singled to load the bases.

Tuttle followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead. After Collins singled, Purcell ripped a three-run double in the right-centerfield gap for an 8-0 lead. McGahuey made it 9-0 with a double, and after Morrow was hit by a pitch, Ashbaugh singled home a run. An error and Breuer's single capped the wild inning.

Carson added a single run in the second when Collins reached on an error and scored on Purcell's second double of the game. Ashbaugh's aforementioned homer made it 14-0 after three.

Ashbaugh, who retired nine of 10 at one point, gave up two runs in the fourth on doubles by Carli Vogl and Sadie Elias plus a single by Morgan Gross.

"I wasn't putting the ball on the corner like I wanted in that first inning," Ashbaugh said. "I wasn't getting the high ball called, so I had to adjust the next inning

Carson scored six more in its last at-bat, two coming on a single by Ashbaugh and three on Breuer's round-tripper.

Carson, 15-7 overall, travels to Bishop Manogue for a key Sierra League doubleheader Saturday at 10 a.m.