WINTERSVILLE — McKenna Scott filled in admirably for the Indian Creek softball team in its game against Brooke.

Scott, the team’s standout shortstop, filled in in the circle for pitcher Trinity Taylor to give the senior ace a day off from pitching. Scott faced 20 batters, did not give up a hit to the final 19 and only allowed two batters to reach base, while the Redskins’ offense offered a bunch of support as the Redskins shut out the Bruins, 10-0, in six innings Saturday morning at home.

Scott – a junior – contributed a double at the plate to help her own cause, while her teammates backed her up with 13 more hits, 10 of which went for extra bases, including a home run as Indian Creek won via mercy rule to win its 13th game of the season.

“Offensively, we have hit the ball well, and we continued to do that,” Indian Creek (13-4) head coach Angela Penner said. “Their girls are working hard. We are getting great senior leadership from Trinity, Kiersten and Ericka. We played a team. There is a lot of togetherness.

“This is the first week we have played every single day. The girls are tired. It’s a struggle. They continue to battle. They have played six games. I have to give them credit.

“Sometimes when you are tired, you are not as sharp. We had one against Oak Glen where we were not sharp, but rebounded to win the next two against Carrollton and Brooke.

“It is nice to be able to get everybody in whenever we can. Everyone plays a part on this team. We have got OVACs Tuesday. We’re in the semifinals. There is going to be some tight games, and we might not be able to get everyone in.

“I’m proud of the kids. The JV is working hard with Coach Taylor and Coach Amber. They have fought. They have been in some close battles. They have had some one-run losses, but they continue to fight. They have hit the ball. They are continuing to learn the game.

“This isn’t about me. Coach Gary and Coach Kucz put in a lot of work to help the girls out. Everybody contributes.

“We have qualified for the OVACs. Then, we have the Buckeye 8 and then we have the sectional draw.

“Their pitcher pitched well.

“Mack pitched well. She came in and helped give Trinity a rest. Mack has done a good job. She pitched well. We made the plays defensively. We made the plays we are supposed to make.

“I am proud of all of the girls, all the kids and the team.”

The Bruins had been playing well going into the game, however, the Green and Gold were never able to get on track against Indian Creek.

“We played well in our last two games against Wheeling Park and Parkersburg South,” Brooke (1-18) head coach Tommy Diserio said. “We took South to 11 innings yesterday in a 1-0 loss.

“We had to get back out early for an 8 a.m. bus trip, and I don’t know if that played a factor or not.

“Miscues and errors on defense have hurt us all year. Foresha pitched well.

“We have got Linsly Monday, Morgantown Friday and then we have got sectionals.”

Scott collected the win for her team as she struck out five, walked one and did not allow a run while only giving up one hit – a single to Brooke’s leadoff batter.

Alexa Foresha took the loss for Brooke. The senior struck out five without walking a batter.

Offensively, Ericka Gibbons, Emma Vok and Taylor all tallied three hits to lead the way offensively for the Red and Gold. Individually, Gibbons belted three doubles and finished with four RBI, Taylor recorded two doubles, a home run and two RBI and Vok produced a single, two doubles and two RBI.

Also for the hosts, Kiersten Dorsey delivered a single, a double and an RBI, Riley Sadler added a double and Kylie Dray ended up with a single.

Hailey Moore singled to record the lone hit for the visitors.

The victors plated four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back.

Dray singled with one out, and then scored on Taylor’s two-out two-run home run over the fence in right to give Indian Creek an early 2-0 advantage. Dorsey then singled to keep the inning alive, and Vok and Gibbons belted back-to-back doubles to score two more runs to increase Indian Creek’s advantage to 4-0.

“They were on the spot,” Diserio said. “Every ball we hit, they were right there on defense. We did not find any gaps. That makes it hard to comeback. They were defensively sound. They are a good ballclub.”

After a scoreless second inning, the Redskins’ bats came alive once again in third.

Taylor led off the inning with a double, and following a groundout, she scored on Vok’s second double of the game to extend the home team’s advantage to 5-0. Then, Gibbons once again double Vok home to make it a 6-0 ballgame.

The Redskins tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Taylor doubled for the second time to get things started, and she scored on a double by Dorsey to make the score, 7-0. After Vok singled to put two runners on base, Gibbons doubled home both runners to make it 9-0.

Indian Creek was on the verge of ending the game at the point, however, Foresha was able to bear down and retire the next three batters to end the threat and the inning. Foresha recorded back-to-back strikeouts for the first two outs of the inning.

Though the girls in white were denied their chance to end the game in the fifth, the victors would not be denied in the sixth. Sadler doubled to start the inning, she stole third and ended up scoring when the throw to third was off target allowing Indian Creek’s catcher to score the game-ending run.

“We have to prepare for the postseason,” Penner said. “We are going to have to battle. It’s a new season. We are 13-4, and we are going to use all of this to prepare us for tournament time. Hopefully, we are up to the task and we continue to play well.”

Scott not only filled in for Taylor inside the circle, she also had a stint as Indian Creek’s first-base coach in the game-ending sixth inning.

“Trinity pitched last night, and she pitched a great game,” Penner said. “She pitches every night, so kudos to her. She pitched against Carrollton, and it was a five-inning game. She pitched well.”

Saturday was the cutoff date for team’s to qualify for the annual OVAC Tournament. The top four teams in each class are set to compete in the tournament starting today at the I-470 Complex down in Elm Grove.

As of 10 p.m. Saturday, the Redskins are the second seed in Class 4A, and Indian Creek will play No. 3 seed Cambridge in the semifinals Tuesday. Edison – the No. 1 seed – will play No. 4 seed Weir in the other semifinal. The Wildcats and Red Riders have split their two previous meetings this season with both teams winning at home.

Brooke is scheduled to play Linsly at 6 p.m. today at home.

Indian Creek 10, Brooke 0

Brooke 000 000 – 0 1 1

Indian Creek 402 031 – 10 14 0

BROOKE (1-18): Foresha LP (5K, 0BB) and Brown. Moore S

INDIAN CREEK (13-4): Scott WP (5K, 1BB) and Sadler. Scott D; Dray S; Sadler D; Taylor 2D, HR, 2RBI; Dorsey S, D, RBI; Vok S, 2D, 2RBI; Gibbons 3D, 4RBI