Monticello Softball Holds Off Meridian Rally in 7-6 Thriller

The Monticello Sages built an early lead and held on late to defeat the Meridian Hawks 7–6 on Wednesday, March 25th, at Monticello High School, fending off a determined comeback in a high-scoring contest.

Powered by a surge of home runs and timely hitting, the Sages jumped out in front early—but the Hawks made things interesting down the stretch.

Sages Explode Early

Monticello wasted no time setting the tone in the bottom of the first inning. With runners on second and third, Isabella Beery lifted a fly ball to right field that was caught for an out but still brought in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Moments later, Maddison Highland stepped up and launched a home run over the left field fence. The Sages kept rolling as Ali Weidner reached base, setting the stage for Reese Stiger, who followed with another home run to left field.

By the end of the inning, Monticello had surged to a commanding 5–0 lead.

Adding On

The Sages extended their advantage in the second inning when Sadie Walsh delivered a solo home run over left field, pushing the score to 6–0.

Meridian Responds

The Hawks began to chip away in the third inning, stringing together four hits and scoring three runs to cut the deficit in half. Monticello was unable to respond in the inning, and the score tightened to 6–3.

Meridian continued its comeback effort in the fifth, collecting three more hits and adding two runs to make it a one-run game at 6–5.

Beery Answers Back

With momentum shifting, Isabella Beery stepped up once again for the Sages in the bottom of the fifth and delivered a crucial solo home run. The blast gave Monticello a bit of breathing room, extending the lead to 7–5.

Late Drama

Meridian refused to go away. In the sixth inning, the Hawks added another run, cutting the lead to 7–6 and setting up a tense final inning.

However, Monticello’s defense held firm in the seventh, preventing any further damage and securing the win. Final Score of the game – Monticello 7, Meridian 6.

The Sages’ early offensive explosion—highlighted by four team home runs—proved just enough to withstand Meridian’s late push in a back-and-forth battle.