Buford, the No. 1 team in the nation made quick work of Mountain View when the Lady Wolves beat the Lady Bears 19-4 on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Not even home-field advantage could help Mountain View as it took Buford three innings to invoke the run rule, ending the game.
Brooklyn Atha hit a single to start the game. A stolen base, a Mountain View error and a double by Summer Castorri drove in Atha for Buford’s first run of the game. Following Castorri was the No. 1 player in the Class of 2026, Caroline Stanton. Stanton drove in Castorri with a two-run home run, her sixth home run this season. Buford scored one more run in the first inning thanks to a couple of single hits.
In the bottom of the first inning, Mountain View cut Buford’s lead in half after scoring two runs making the score 4-2 in favor of the Lady Wolves.
Izzy Rettiger scored Buford’s fifth run after she was walked, stole two bases and was driven home by another double from Castorri. With Castorri and Stanton, who was hit by a pitch, on base, Addie Rackley steps up and hits a three-run bomb over the centerfield wall.
Mountain View entered the bottom of the second inning behind by six runs. An error by Buford, a walk, a single hit and a double cut Buford’s lead to four going into the top of the third inning.
It would be the third inning when things would go quickly south for the Lady Bears. Buford would score 11 runs after a combination of four single hits, two doubles, three walks and three wild pitches that hit batters.
After Mountain View failed to make a comeback, the game was called after the third inning due to the run rule giving Buford a 19-4 victory.
Buford’s offensive standouts were Rackley (3-for-3, three-run home run, five RBIs, three runs scored), Castorri (2-for-2, double, two RBIs, three runs scored), Stanton (two-run home run, two RBIs, three runs scored) and Kadyn Gabrels (2-for-3, double, two RBIs, one run scored).
Getting the win on the mound for the Lady Wolves was Olivia Nagel (2-0). She pitched a complete game giving up four hits and four runs (three earned) while striking out four.
Buford’s overall season record improved to 10-0 and 4-0 in Region 8-6A. Buford will host Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the Buford Softball Complex. The game starts at 6 p.m.
