Mt. Abram shortstop Abby Holland waits for the ball as Winthrop outfielder Maria Dostie slides safely into the bag at second base to earn a steal in Winthrop on Friday. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)

WINTHROP — Junior catcher Hanna Caprara thought she just ripped a grand slam, but her long shot bounced in front of the outfield fence and turned into a three-run triple in the fourth inning.

Caprara had no complaints with settling for a triple and the three RBIs that came with it because the Winthrop Ramblers (12-3) walked off with a 12-0 Mountain Valley Conference baseball victory over Mt. Abram (1-14) on Friday afternoon.

The 12-run rule was implemented, the game was stopped in the fifth inning and the Ramblers won their 11th straight game.

“I thought (the ball) was going over at first, but then it hit the fence,” Caprara said. “I was so happy because I got three runs in and brought the score up a lot.

“I think we did really good. Last time we played them, we struggled a little bit, but today we came to play and we did what we do.”

Caprara also drove in a run with an RBI single, then went to second due to an error in the infield in the first inning. Second baseman Moriah Hajduk scored the first of her four runs after she got on base with single and then stole second base.

The Ramblers scored four runs in the third inning thanks to Bry Baxter’s RBI single and a two-run double from Sam Allen. Winthrop used four hits and a couple of walks to give itself a 5-0 lead.

“We had a game up last night up at Mountain Valley,” Winthrop coach Chuck Gurney said. “I was kind of worried we were going to come out flat today, and it took a couple of innings for the bats to get going, but once they got the pitching count up, another great team effort right down the line.

“Everyone of these kids, no superstars, just great players. (Winning pitcher) Layne Audet has been a workhorse for us all season long. She went over a 100 strikeouts for the year at Mountain Valley. When her control is on, she is as good as anybody in the league.”

Caprara put the Ramblers ahead 8-0 with her triple in the fourth.

The Ramblers opened up on the Roadrunners again in the fifth with four more runs to end the game. Audet (six strikeouts) and Baxter each hammered out RBI singles, and Allen drove in another two runs with her base hit.

Mt. Abram’s lone hit came from shortstop Abby Holland in the third inning. Mt. Abram’s Halley Walker was tagged with the loss. Winthrop had 11 hits for the day.

“My catcher had the best game of her season right here,” Mt. Abram second-year coach Bridget Blood said. “(Maya Caron) did very well today.

“My pitcher is getting better. That’s our JV pitcher out there. It was a great game for our catcher. Our bats aren’t getting there, but hopefully next year. …

“Winthrop did a great job. They have a solid infield. They got some great snags out there. It’s crazy.”

Winthrop catcher Hanna Caprara waits to put the tag on Mt. Abram’s Baylie McLaughlin during an MVC softball game in Winthrop on Friday. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)

Danielle McClure, the only senior on the Winthrop softball team, was honored during senior day in Winthrop on Friday. She started the game and scored a run and had a hit. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)

Winthrop winning pitcher Layne Audet goes into a windup in the circle. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)

Mt. Abram pitcher Hailey Walker goes into her windup Friday afternoon in Winthrop. (Tony Blasi/Sun Journal)