By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

ALABASTER – It was another impressive outing for the Thompson softball team early in the season on Tuesday, Feb. 26, as the Warriors played host to county foe Calera and picked up an 11-0 mercy-rule victory.

Thompson (3-0-1) scored in every inning of the game, including four in the first, one in the second and third, two in the fourth and five in the fifth, to close the game out in five innings.

While the offense’s 13 hits and 11 runs were impressive in their own right, Madison Holtzapfel’s performance in the circle stole the show thanks to a no-hit outing.

She went all five innings allowing no runs and no hits, while allowing just one walk to keep her from a perfect game. She also struck out five of the batters she faced in the game. A big reason for that was her accuracy with 11 of her 16 first pitches to batters being strikes.

Holtzapfel’s strong showing allowed the Thompson bats to swing freely throughout the game, and that was apparent from the bottom of the first inning on.

Kindall DeRamus and Lauren Haskins led the Warriors’ half of the first off with back-to-back singles, the second of which drove in DeRamus for a quick 1-0 lead.

After a groundout, an error on a ground ball from Grace Robertson allowed Haskins to score. After another groundout, Makenzie Munroe singled to drive in Robertson, before a double from Madison Plunkett drove in the fourth and final run of the inning for a 4-0 advantage.

That was clearly going to be enough for Holtzapfel in the circle, but Thompson’s day at the plate was just getting started.

Taylor Cordov led off the second with a double, followed by a single from DeRamus to quickly put two baserunners aboard. Robertson then stepped back to the plate later in the inning and drove in another run for a 5-0 lead heading to the third.

In the bottom of the third, Thompson continued its scoring efforts thanks to a leadoff double from Plunkett. She eventually advanced to third during Abby Kellog’s at bat before a groundout from Cordova brought her home to give the Warriors a 6-0 advantage.

That lead was extended by two more in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a solo home run from Kennedy Foote and a bases-loaded walk to Plunkett.

Thompson then closed the game out an inning later when a two-out rally was capped off by an RBI-triple from Robertson and then a two-run home run from Mikayla Touhey to complete the 11-0 victory.

Robertson led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 game, including three RBIs and three runs scored. Touhey added a 2-for-4 game with two RBIs and one run scored. Plunkett also picked up two hits with a 2-for-2 game, featuring two RBIs and one run scored.

DeRamus went 2-for-4 as well, while Haskins, Foote, Munroe and Cordova all had one hit.