Rock Bridge dealt first loss of season

According to coach Joe Henderson, the Rock Bridge softball team had never defeated the Jefferson City Jays.

Thursday night’s game did nothing to change that, as the Jays won 9-0 at Rock Bridge on the strength of a complete game, one-hit shutout from pitcher Aubrey Moss.

“Jeff City is always a very well-coached, well-organized softball program,” Henderson said. “It’s just a good, solid program year in and year out. You just have to be at your best and play that perfect game.

“The strategy to beat them is to keep (Jays leadoff hitter) Jessica Moore off of the bases, play good, solid defense, and not walk batters. If we can do those three things, anything can happen.”

The Bruins didn’t do those three things.

The game was never close after the second inning. The Bruins committed six errors, walked three batters and allowed Moore to run wild. She was retired only once, as she tried to stretch a double into a triple.

The loss was the Bruins’ (2-1) first of the season.

Before the game, Rock Bridge senior Kelsey Oerly gave Jefferson City credit for its continued dominance over her team.

“They have a really good program, and they have really great players. They come out hard and strong, and I think it’s something a lot of schools look up to and wish they could be like them. Obviously, it can’t happen with every team, but we’re just trying to live up to it,” Oerly said. “Jeff City is just really good.”

Despite the final score, Henderson was anything but discouraged.

“The first two innings they scored six runs, almost all on errors and walks,” he said. “We settled down after that. Sadie Turnbull pitched maybe the biggest game of her life, and I thought she pitched very well.”

Although he took nothing away from Jefferson City, he had a message for his girls after the game.

“I told the kids we’ve proved we could play with Jeff City,” Henderson said.

“They all want another shot at them.”.