By Nicholas Huenefeld

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

MILLBURY — Kali Bedford tossed a complete game shutout in the circle while the Lake softball team racked up 13 hits offensively en route to a 10-0 win over Liberty-Benton on Saturday.

With the victory, the Flyers snapped a four-game losing streak in what was their first home game since March 28.

“It was good to get back on our home field,” Lake head coach Dave Rymers said. “We’ve only had two home games, so it was good to have a sense of normalcy and routine, and I think it showed with both our offensive production and defensive efficiency.”

Lake (3-6), which entered Saturday having lost their past three games by a combined 39-6 score, got a big momentum swing in a scoreless opening frame as Bedford stranded the bases loaded.

Bedford then gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the home half with a one-out single, plating Lucy Boos, who singled and stole second one at bat earlier.

While Bedford and the Lake defense was stranding five runners in scoring position over the first three innings, the Flyer offense scored in every inning, including three apiece in the third and fourth.

We were much better today executing with runners on base,” Rymers said. “(Defensively), we benefited from some strikeouts and ground balls in advantageous times.”

After the duo of Ellie Rymers and Diem Isbell gave Lake a 3-0 lead with an RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly, respectively, in the second inning, the Flyers got RBI hits from Sophie Gruetter, Kylee Pietrzak and Alivia King in the third to double the lead.

Bedford and Gruetter tacked on a couple more run-scoring hits in the fourth, and Rymers walked it off in the fifth with a one-out triple to score Addy Boehm.

Five players had multi-hit efforts for Lake, led by Bedford, who finished 3-for-3 with an RBI. Gruetter went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

Bedford allowed five hits and a walk while striking out six over five innings.

“Hopefully this puts us on a good path for a big week ahead,” Rymers said.