By Eric Lusk
Sports Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

WEST JEFFERSON — Starmount softball standout Courtney Groce usually makes headlines for her pitching prowess.

The super sophomore burst on the scene last spring and already has 30 varsity wins to her credit.

But on Friday night, Groce had her bat humming as well, delivering more hits than she surrendered in the Rams’ 16-0 win at Ashe County. Groce batted in a run and scored twice to compliment a combined two-hit shutout from the pitcher’s circle with teammate Becca Aplin.

Groce — and Starmount as a team — improved to 13-2 overall with the convincing triumph. The Rams moved to 8-1 against conference competition.

Starmount scored in every inning, invoking the mercy rule after five frames. Senior shortstop Chelsea Varner also had three hits. Varner scored three times and earned three RBIs. Junior Brittany White punctuated the victory with a solo home run in the top of the fifth.

White finished the game 2-for-4, scoring twice.

The Rams played Ashe County to a pair of 1-0 wins last season against then-senior Kendra Yearick but had no problems pushing runs across Friday.

Coach Heather Courts’ team got things started with the opening batter when freshman Josie Matthews was hit by a pitch. Varner earned her first hit, singling between first and second base to move Matthews to third.

Matthews eventually scored when Ashe tried to throw her out at third base. An error brought Varner home for an early 2-0 advantage.

The Rams added four runs in the top of the second inning. Groce got things started with a single. Ashlee Handy had a double in the frame to score Varner.

Starmount tacked on three runs in the third inning, three more in the fourth and four in the fifth. Brittany White had a double in the fourth inning and scored the last run of the game for the Rams with her homer in the fifth.

Ashe helped the Rams’ cause by committing five errors. Aplin relieved Groce in the pitcher’s circle in the fourth inning.

Starmount will travel to Elkin on Tuesday and then will visit Wilkes Central on Friday. Both are conference games.

FORBUSH 15, NORTH WILKES 0: Like their county rival from Boonville, the Falcons earned a five-inning, mercy-rule-shortened conference win on Friday.

Leslie Long launched a three-run homer to power the Forbush attack. Paige Hauser finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Cali Baity went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Stephanie Poindexter added two hits and an RBI for the Falcons. Natalie York was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Lindsey Mathis earned the shutout victory from the circle.