Lady Tigers show their character in extra-inning Opening Day victory
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — The McClain Lady Tigers showed what kind of character they have for the 2011 season, Monday at Daryle C. Unger Field.
MHS led the game, lost the lead, then trailed by four runs headed into the bottom of the ninth inning. Five runs later, the Lady Tigers were celebrating a 9-8, extra-inning Opening Day non-league win over the West Union Lady Dragons.
McClain senior Frankie Wise put the Lady Tigers on the winning side for good with a bases-loaded, two-run line drive hit to right field.
The entire ninth inning was a nail biter for both the Lady Dragons and Lady Tigers, combining for nine runs and seven hits.
"We got a win, but I'm not happy with our defensive performance," MHS head coach Jerrod Haines said. "I really like our character and our senior leadership.
"This team showed a lot of character … they weren't nervous and were very confident. They are good softball players. We made too many mistakes, but we showed a lot of character by forgetting about those plays."
The top of the ninth saw West Union (0-1) score four runs off of two hits and three errors, two coming via unsuccessful fielder's choice attempts.
West Union's four-run ninth put the Lady Tigers down four runs as they went to bat.
Brittany Mullikin began the inning with a bloop single, followed with Morgan Dettwiller reaching first on a base hit with one out. On the play, the Lady Dragons had an error by the second baseman. Megan Dettwiller followed with a single, and Kate Crabtree reached first on a fielder's choice, which scored Mullikin.
Down by three runs, Jenna Perie smashed a two-out, two-run single, scoring Coleman, who was a pinch runner for Morgan Dettwiller, and Crabtree. Sasha Lawwell continued the two-out hitting barrage by MHS with a line drive to left field, and Emily Sterling forced a base-on-balls, loading the bases for Wise.
Wise, who was hitless in her previous trips to the plate (along with one walk), forced a 3-2 count until she doubled to right field with a line drive, sending Alyssa Bean and Lawwell around the bases for the final two runs.
"Frankie stepped up in a big situation after she hadn't done much all day by getting our game-winning hit," Haines said.
Winning the game in the circle for MHS was Megan Dettwiller. The senior pitched all nine innings, tossing 131 pitches, 92 for strikes (39 balls) with two earned runs and 11 strikeouts. She struck out the side in the sixth.
"Megan did a good job pitching, even though some of the routine plays weren't made," Haines said. "Megan also hit the ball well, having one of our most consistent bats.
"Megan had a good diving catch in the circle, and that was one of our bright spots defensively."
Dettwiller, along with Perie, Lawwell, Sterling and Mullikin, all had two hits apiece.
Before the game, the softball team and the Losey family helped dedicate a new scoreboard in memory of Hannah Losey. A balloon was let go into the air by family members and members of the softball team in Losey's memory.
West Union was the first team to score in the top of the first when Grooms led off the game by singling the first pitch of the season up the middle of the infield. Grooms scored on a sacrifice bunt by Bowles.
The Lady Tigers (1-0) tied the score in their half of the first. The half inning started with Morgan Dettwiller drawing a one-out walk, followed by Megan Dettwiller reaching first on an error as the ball bounced off the first baseman's glove. With two outs, Perie singled to centerfield, scoring Dettwiller.
MHS took a two-run lead in the bottom of the second, starting with a lead-off single to centerfield by Sterling, followed with a walk by Wise. Mullikin tripled in both runners, sending the first pitch fastball to the right field fence, making the score 3-1.
In the top of the third, the Lady Dragons cut the MHS lead to one run when Barr crossed home plate off a base hit by Bowles. The inning for MHS saw back-to-back errors which could have ended the inning.
MHS regained their two-run lead in the bottom half of the third with Kate Crabtree beginning with a lead-off single, then stealing second. With one out, Lawwell doubled in Crabtree, sending the pitch to centerfield.
Again, the Lady Dragons pressured MHS in the top of the fourth, cutting the lead back to a single run. MHS did have a good defensive play, with a 7-6-2 out at the plate to keep the one-run lead when Mullikin threw the ball from left field to shortstop Crabtree, who in turn threw the runner out at home with Perie protecting the plate.
WU tied the game in the top of the sixth off a home run by Campbell. In the seventh, WU also took the lead when a run-down situation created on the third base line ended the scoring threat, as Willet cut the runner down at home plate.
For the game, MHS had eight errors.
"I'm just not pleased with the defensive effort. Too many routine plays we just blew. Too many routine pop-ups we should have made. We had too many ground balls with outs from second to first … those are things you have to make to be successful and to be a good team."
MHS plays again on Tuesday, facing Logan Elm at LE in a non-league game.[[In-content Ad]]
MHS led the game, lost the lead, then trailed by four runs headed into the bottom of the ninth inning. Five runs later, the Lady Tigers were celebrating a 9-8, extra-inning Opening Day non-league win over the West Union Lady Dragons.
McClain senior Frankie Wise put the Lady Tigers on the winning side for good with a bases-loaded, two-run line drive hit to right field.
The entire ninth inning was a nail biter for both the Lady Dragons and Lady Tigers, combining for nine runs and seven hits.
"We got a win, but I'm not happy with our defensive performance," MHS head coach Jerrod Haines said. "I really like our character and our senior leadership.
"This team showed a lot of character … they weren't nervous and were very confident. They are good softball players. We made too many mistakes, but we showed a lot of character by forgetting about those plays."
The top of the ninth saw West Union (0-1) score four runs off of two hits and three errors, two coming via unsuccessful fielder's choice attempts.
West Union's four-run ninth put the Lady Tigers down four runs as they went to bat.
Brittany Mullikin began the inning with a bloop single, followed with Morgan Dettwiller reaching first on a base hit with one out. On the play, the Lady Dragons had an error by the second baseman. Megan Dettwiller followed with a single, and Kate Crabtree reached first on a fielder's choice, which scored Mullikin.
Down by three runs, Jenna Perie smashed a two-out, two-run single, scoring Coleman, who was a pinch runner for Morgan Dettwiller, and Crabtree. Sasha Lawwell continued the two-out hitting barrage by MHS with a line drive to left field, and Emily Sterling forced a base-on-balls, loading the bases for Wise.
Wise, who was hitless in her previous trips to the plate (along with one walk), forced a 3-2 count until she doubled to right field with a line drive, sending Alyssa Bean and Lawwell around the bases for the final two runs.
"Frankie stepped up in a big situation after she hadn't done much all day by getting our game-winning hit," Haines said.
Winning the game in the circle for MHS was Megan Dettwiller. The senior pitched all nine innings, tossing 131 pitches, 92 for strikes (39 balls) with two earned runs and 11 strikeouts. She struck out the side in the sixth.
"Megan did a good job pitching, even though some of the routine plays weren't made," Haines said. "Megan also hit the ball well, having one of our most consistent bats.
"Megan had a good diving catch in the circle, and that was one of our bright spots defensively."
Dettwiller, along with Perie, Lawwell, Sterling and Mullikin, all had two hits apiece.
Before the game, the softball team and the Losey family helped dedicate a new scoreboard in memory of Hannah Losey. A balloon was let go into the air by family members and members of the softball team in Losey's memory.
West Union was the first team to score in the top of the first when Grooms led off the game by singling the first pitch of the season up the middle of the infield. Grooms scored on a sacrifice bunt by Bowles.
The Lady Tigers (1-0) tied the score in their half of the first. The half inning started with Morgan Dettwiller drawing a one-out walk, followed by Megan Dettwiller reaching first on an error as the ball bounced off the first baseman's glove. With two outs, Perie singled to centerfield, scoring Dettwiller.
MHS took a two-run lead in the bottom of the second, starting with a lead-off single to centerfield by Sterling, followed with a walk by Wise. Mullikin tripled in both runners, sending the first pitch fastball to the right field fence, making the score 3-1.
In the top of the third, the Lady Dragons cut the MHS lead to one run when Barr crossed home plate off a base hit by Bowles. The inning for MHS saw back-to-back errors which could have ended the inning.
MHS regained their two-run lead in the bottom half of the third with Kate Crabtree beginning with a lead-off single, then stealing second. With one out, Lawwell doubled in Crabtree, sending the pitch to centerfield.
Again, the Lady Dragons pressured MHS in the top of the fourth, cutting the lead back to a single run. MHS did have a good defensive play, with a 7-6-2 out at the plate to keep the one-run lead when Mullikin threw the ball from left field to shortstop Crabtree, who in turn threw the runner out at home with Perie protecting the plate.
WU tied the game in the top of the sixth off a home run by Campbell. In the seventh, WU also took the lead when a run-down situation created on the third base line ended the scoring threat, as Willet cut the runner down at home plate.
For the game, MHS had eight errors.
"I'm just not pleased with the defensive effort. Too many routine plays we just blew. Too many routine pop-ups we should have made. We had too many ground balls with outs from second to first … those are things you have to make to be successful and to be a good team."
MHS plays again on Tuesday, facing Logan Elm at LE in a non-league game.[[In-content Ad]]