WINTERSVILLE — The number nine was John Lennon’s lucky number, and the number played a significant role in the life of the former Beatle.

The number also played a significant role for the Weir softball team Monday evening against Indian Creek.

The Red Riders recorded nine runs in the top of the first en route to defeating the Redskins, 16-4, on the road.

Eliza Utt, who wears No. 9 for the Red Riders, singled to start the game, and the pitcher produced four hits and two RBIs on the day at the plate. She also delivered a solid performance inside the circle as Utt picked up the win, striking out 10 and walking three.

“When you start the first game of the year … this was our opener also … and you come out and score nine runs in your first at-bat, it felt good,” Weir (1-0) head coach John Leary said. “You come in and you never know. We had the same lineup we had at the end of last year because we didn’t lose anyone, but this was our first game, and you never know what to expect.

“Indian Creek is a new team. They are young. We played them in the OVAC final last year. They lost some players from last year. We did not know what to expect. We were facing them in the opener. We did not know what their new pitcher was like. This was a new situation for us.

“We had the same battling lineup as we finished last season, but it is a new year and a new situation. I was happy we were able to come out and score nine runs. It was nice to score a lot of runs early. It took the pressure off Eliza. We were able to work on pitches. We were able to work on some new pitches that she added to her repertoire this season. We were able to work on them without there being a lot of pressure on her. It would have been different in a close game. 

“I have to give credit to Indian Creek. We jumped on them 9-0, but they kept battling. They kept playing, and they kept battling. As a coach, that is what you want to see.”

For Indian Creek, giving up nine runs in the first inning was not the way the Redskins envisioned the start of their season going.

“We are young,” Indian Creek (0-1) head coach Angela Penner said. “We are growing together. We have different players in different spots. They are learning new positions. We have a lot of growing to do.

“I love the senior leadership we are getting from Emma Vok, McKenna Scott and Taylor See. We have three seniors this season, and they are leading the way. 

“What I am most proud about it is we gave up nine runs in the first inning, and these girls did not quit. They kept battling. We ended up playing seven innings. The game could have been over in five innings. We have a lot to build on. We have a lot of mistakes to clean up.”

The visitors from Hancock County plated nine runs in the first and had a runner on third with one out, however, the visitors were unable to push another run across the plate in the inning. After a scoreless second inning, the victors tacked on two more runs in the third to increase their advantage to 11-0.

The hosts answered back with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning to make the score 11-2, and the hosts tallied a run un the fourth and another in the fifth to make it an 11-4 ballgame. The Redskins had chances to draw closer, however, they were unable to score another run the rest of the way.

The Red Riders recorded another run in the sixth to extend their advantage to 12-4 before producing four more runs in the seventh to account for the final score. 

All nine Weir batters contributed to the victory. Eight of the nine had at least one hit, while the other had a pair of RBI. 

Offensively, the Red Riders pounded out 16 hits — half of which went for extra bases.

Individually, Rayna Hoover recorded a single, two doubles, a triple and three RBI, Elle Maley tallied two singles and three RBI and Loganne Barton contributed a single, a double and two RBI. Also, Kylie Dean delivered a double and two RBI, Brynn Artman collected a single and an RBI and Brayley Lash tripled. Finally, Bella Weber brought home a pair of runs and Gigi Paladina produced a single. 

Indian Creek used three pitchers in the game.

Payton Rath started inside the circle, and she took the loss. Rath did not record a strikeout, while walking two. She did not record an out before being replaced after five hitters had batted. Tori Gross, who started the game in right field, came on in relief of Rath. The freshmen pitched six innings, while striking out three without walking a batter. Fellow freshmen Maggie Blackburn came on to pitch in the seventh. She struck out one without walking a batter in her inning of work inside the circle. 

“Their second pitcher did a really nice job,” Leary said. “She changed speeds. She kept us off-balance. We didn’t do a good job against her. You don’t want to sound like an idiot when you score 16 runs, but we just talked to the girls, and we got on them about — this doesn’t sound good — but we don’t want to take our foot off their throat. We want to finish the game. We had a chance to 10-run them, but to Indian Creek’s credit we were not able to do that. They didn’t let us do that. We have to finish the game off when we get the chance.”

Indian Creek collected 10 hits in the loss — five of which went for extra bases.

Individually, Riley Sadler ripped a single, two doubles and finished with an RBI, Aziah Ade and Vok each added a double and an RBI and Gross also recorded a double. Finally, Rath tallied a single and an RBI and McKenna Scott collected a single.

“We get right back after it (Tuesday),” Penner said. “It is not how you start, but how you finish. We’re young. We normally start off with a win, but the team shows up and works hard day in and day out. We have 19 girls on the team, and they all work hard. They do whatever we ask them to do. Their families make a lot of sacrifices. At the end of the day, we are proud of them.”

Weir 16, Indian Creek 4

Weir         902 001 4 – 16 16 2

Indian Creek 002 110 0 – 4 10 8

WEIR (1-0): Utt WP (10K, 3BB) and Barton. Utt 2S, D, T, 2RBI; Hoover S, 2D, T, 3RBI; Dean D, 2RBI; Lash T; Weber 2RBI; Maley 2S, 3RBI; Barton S, D, 2RBI; Artman S, RBI; Paladina S.

INDIAN CREEK (0-1): Rath LP (0IP, 0K, 2BB), Gross (6IP, 3K, 3BB), Blackburn (1IP, 1K, 0BB) and Sadler. Scott S; Sadler S, 2D, RBI; Vok D, RBI; Dray S; Rath S, RBI; Ade D, RBI; Gross D.