Ocean cruise

Salem CC softball gets well quickly after tough start to weekend, blasts Ocean CC, 17-1, 19-1; Hayes hit 3 HRs, Beukman hits her first

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – After a rough start to the weekend with four losses to two of the top teams in Region XIX, the Salem CC softball team got well in a big way Sunday, sweeping a doubleheader at home from Ocean CC 17-1 and 19-1.

The Mighty Oaks, swept by Delaware Tech and Lackawanna CC on Friday and Saturday, pounded five home runs and banged out 35 hits – 15 for extra bases – in the two five-inning games against the visiting Vikings.

Freshman shortstop Ella Hayes had a huge day, hitting three homers and collecting 10 RBIs in the doubleheader; she had two homers and seven RBIs in the second game. Freshman outfielder Kiki Beukman hit her first homer since arriving on campus from South Africa in the first game. She went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in the opener and was 6-for-7 with six runs and seven RBIs in the doubleheader.

“I think it was really important for our team morale,” Beukman said. “We were really hard on ourselves the past two games, like we have to do this, we have to be good, we have to be this. There was too much pressure, but this one we can lift it a little and just get the whole team’s morale back to play as a family where  we need to. 

“We didn’t really play as a family the past two days, so I think it’s really good for our mental health almost to step (back), relax and just play for fun more.”

The fun started right away. The Mighty Oaks (26-10) jumped on the Vikings in the first inning of both games.

They scored six to start the opener on three-run homers by Hayes and Beukman. Vaye Savage’s leadoff homer in the second inning made it 7-0, then the Oaks erupted for nine runs in the third. They sent 13 batters to the plate in the big inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Savage and a two-run single by KC Garcia.

Beukman was a big home run hitter for her high school and provincial teams back home, but most of the fields she played on didn’t have fences, so when a batter hit it deep she could run for days.

She had hoped to keep that going when she got to the States, but it took 46 plate appearances, 38 at bats and 35 games before it happened for the first time.

“The first time I met Vaye, we came and hit and I was like the fence looks so short, why is it so short,” Beukman said. “I know I can do this. I know I can do this. So, I’ve been trying to get a fence.

“It felt good (to hit the homer) after yesterday’s stress that I had. It just felt good to finally be myself again knowing what I could do. I don’t always have patience but I’m working on it and it felt great to be back. It just feels like I know what I’m doing. This is what I am capable of and I know I can, so it feels good to finally do what I’ve done back home.”

“We definitely were excited for Kiki,” Oaks coach Angel Rodriguez said. “She’s always determined to go up there and try to do something. Recently she’s had some good at bats but she’d either just miss it or just getting under it. She had some good hard hits throughout the year, but that was good to see.”

The Mighty Oaks opened the nightcap with 10 in the first. Hayes had her grand slam in the inning and Beukman had a two-run double. Hayes also hit a three-run homer to highlight a six-run second inning and the Oaks added two more in the third and one in the fourth.

“Personally, it helped me a lot,” Hayes said. “It wasn’t that my confidence was down it was just that boosted my confidence a lot so now I can prepare for a big game Tuesday (at Mercer CC) and the rest of the season and the postseason. This was a good game to just build up confidence for me and everyone.”

The hit parade ran through the lineup. Savage went 3-for-3 with three RBIs in the first game and was 4-for-5 in the doubleheader. Emilie Hamm went 3-for-3 in the first game, Kyla Buerger went 4-for-6 with four RBIs in the doubleheader, 2-for-2 in the nightcap; Aislynne Deviney went 4-for-4 in the doubleheader, 3-for-3 in the nightcap.

Hayes also is making a run at winning the JUCO Division II batting title. She went 5-for-7 in the doubleheader, raising her average to .617 in 34 games (66-for-107), which is second in the division behind current leader Avery Sickeri of Frederick CC (.646 in 22 games). 

“My goal is to get No. 1,” Hayes said. “I think we’re like 12 games ahead of that girl in front of me now, so I’m hoping once they get games under their belt I should pass her. I look at my stats all the time, but I don’t let them affect me on the field.”

With her display of power, Hayes now has 10 homers and 61 RBIs on the season.

“My teammates might call me a power-hitter, but I would consider myself a hitter-hitter and the home runs come,” Hayes said.

Rodriguez has another word.

“We always say ‘be a hard out’ and she’s a hard out,” he said.