Katie Hobson, one of three sophomores for Centennial, shut down a potent Mt. Hebron lineup in a 10-2 Howard County victory at Centennial on Wednesday afternoon.
The right-hander struck out 11 while scattering five hits with six walks en route to her eighth win of the season.
“My curve was definitely working for me very well,” Hobson said. “It was hitting the outside corner very well.”
The Eagles (11-2) carry eight juniors along with the three sophomores, and the comfort level has paid off.
“I played with Jessica Grimshaw for two years, and then I played with my catcher (Corrine Ung) for about three,” Hobson said of her fellow sophomores.
In particular, Hobson?s familiarity with her catcher helps her stay calm.
“It helped me out because she?s been my catcher, so I feel really comfortable pitching to her,” Hobson said.
Ung also helped out her pitcher with the bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored.
“She?s one of those kind of players who can grow into a huge role this year and the next two years, being a leader on and off the field just by what she?s doing,” Eagles coach Dale Huting said of his backstop.
He?s excited about the future with just one senior on the roster.
“Its sort of a neat kind of thing,” Huting said. “Hopefully no one will move and we?ll only lose one person next year.”
Until then, the Eagles have their sights set on staying atop the competition in Howard County.
Wednesday?s victory could go a long way towards determining the way the schedule wraps up for the Eagles.
“It was nice to beat them because they?re our rivals in county,” Hobson said of Mt. Hebron. “They?re good. I mean, all the teams in our county are good.”
The Vikings kept it close, trailing 2-1 in the fifth, before the Eagles exploded for eight runs on eight hits in the home part of the fifth.
“I was pleased with today,” Hobson said. “I think the important thing is that we play like this consistently for the rest of the season.”
HIGH-FLYING EAGLES
» The top three hitters in the Eagles order combined for seven hits and four runs batted in. The team smacked five extra-base hits in the contest.
» Centennial?s first four batters reached with base hits in the eight-run fifth inning, and the team sent a dozen hitters to the plate.
» Eagles junior center fielder Lacey Barnett led off the fifth inning with a single, and tripled the second time through as Centennial batted around. She scored twice, and drove in a pair of runs in the outburst.
» Mt. Hebron first baseman Natalie Wilson crushed a triple to deep center field in the first inning, and didn?t see much to hit thereafter. She finished with the triple and three walks in her four plate appearances.
