Now that Polk County finished its varsity softball season with three lopsided wins last week, head coach Billy Alm is thinking playoffs. Round one is set for May 11.

After crushing Mitchell 13-0 on May 5, the Asheville Trailblazers 13-3 on May 4, and Hendersonville 13-0 on May 3, the Wolverines are 13-8 overall and 8-4 in the Western Highlands Conference.

Only two losses each to Owen and Madison have marred the Wolverines’ WHC record.

“I guess 13’s the lucky number,” Alm remarked after the Mitchell contest.

All week, Polk hitters used the opposing pitching for batting practice. Maranda Gosnell was especially deadly, going eight-for-eight in the three games (when pitched to), including two hits in the eight-run second inning against Mitchell. Hayley Kropp bashed two homers in those games.

Each of the three games was ended by the scoring rule after the visitors batted in the fifth. With three games in three days, and playoffs approaching, Alm didn’t mind the abbreviated games.

“It’s been good,” he commented of the shortened games. He and the players looked forward to this past Friday’s (May 6) off day.

Lashing eight hits, and scoring eight times in the home second against Mitchell, then scoring five more runs in the fourth sealed Thursday’s win.

Kropp tripled to right center to open that home fourth. Autumn Owen followed with a long double to right, scoring Kropp. Gosnell walked, putting Polk runners at first and second for pitcher Ashley Scruggs. Scruggs hit a hard grounder to the infield, but a bad throw to first chased Owen home, with Gosnell taking third, while Scruggs held first.

Karli Woods’ line single scored Gosnell to make it 11-0. A groundout left runners at second and third. Ashley Ponder singled to left to make it 12-0, putting runners at first and third. Ponder advanced to second on a wild pitch by Mitchell’s Annie Buchanan. Another groundout made it 13-0, ending the scoring.

Polk’s Haley Fowler pitched the fifth, retiring the Mountaineers in order, with some fine fielding behind her.