As expected, the Bishop O’Connell Knights have been enjoying a strong and dominating start to the girls high-school softball spring season.
After two games, the Knights had a 2-0 record with wins over Elizabeth Seton by an 8-1 score and Holy Cross, 14-0, in a five-inning no-hitter.
O’Connell entered the campaign having won a string of Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and Division I private-school state championships over the years.
The two victories extend the Knights’ winning streak to 56 games, now covering four seasons.
In the wins over Seton and Holy Cross, O’Connell did not allow an earned run, yielded just three hits, walked only one and struck out 28 batters.
With the bats, the Knights combined for 29 hits. The squad scored nine runs in the first inning against Holy Cross.
M.J. Melvin led the offense with four hits, including two triples, a home run and multiple RBI. Ella Fletcher also homered and Abby Bond doubled twice and had a couple of RBI.
Other players having multiple hits were Fletcher, pitcher Bri Lencz (four hits), Callie Lissenden, Ari Clark, Lucy Hensler (triple) and Emma Prykanowski (double).
Marie Gagliano added a double, Ashley Bond had a couple of RBI and Gigi Payne, Annie Van Dyck and Sydney Miller had hits.
On the mound, Lencz fanned 11, did not walk a batter and gave up two hits in the win over Seton. She struck out six against Holy Cross.
Van Dyck struck out eight against Holy Cross. Fletcher pitched two frames against Seton with three strikeouts and no walks.
