It was an inning that couldn’t have been drawn up more perfectly as the Grain Valley Eagles varsity softball team grabbed their bats for their game against Fort Osage High School.
The game was tied 0-0 when something special happened.
It started when Senior Morgan Hart knocked a 3-run home run to put the Eagles up 3-0. As the bats got hot and the momentum continued to build, Senior Sydnee Wagner hit a grand slam, bringing another four runs across the plate.
But the hits didn’t stop there. Sophomore Abe Scott drilled a two-run homer to continue the scoring, and Senior Addie Wright rounded out the huge inning when she scored an inside-the-park home run.
After four different players hit home runs in the inning, it was brought to the team’s attention that they had completed a home run cycle.
“It was one of those things we didn't even realize at the time,” said Head Coach Flip Courter. “I knew that we had hit four home runs that inning, but it wasn't until the Fort Osage assistant coach brought it to my attention that we realized it was a home run cycle,” he explained.
While a regular cycle typically includes one player hitting for a single, double, triple, and a home run, the Grain Valley varsity softball team took a different approach. It was something that is believed to have never happened before in school history.
Hitting for a cycle in softball or baseball is not an easy task, but one that many players aim to complete. Four home runs in one inning, putting ten runs on the board, with each home run checking off one phase of the cycle. The team went on to beat Fort Osage 13-0.
The Eagles Varsity team is clicking at the right time as they just sealed their seventh consecutive 20-win season and are currently setting their sights on securing a sixth straight conference title. With just five more games left in their regular season schedule, the varsity team currently sits at 21-6. Districts will be October 16-22, where the Eagles hope to continue toward a state title.