Lady Tigers walk-off into perfection
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — Describing the 2012 South Central Ohio League season as "a dream," McClain head coach Jarrod Haines credited his senior class for their focus as the McClain Lady Tigers wrapped up the South Central Ohio League schedule with a perfect record by defeating the Miami Trace Lady Panthers, 13-3 in six innings Monday.
The run-rule win over the Lady Panthers, which was also senior night, puts the Lady Tigers in rare company as they not only are back-to-back league champions, a feat they accomplished last week with a win over the Washington Lady Blue Lions, but they finish 12-0 in league play, sweeping the league as they wrap up the regular season at 19-3 overall, ending the game over Miami Trace with a walk-off three-run home run by senior Brittany Mullikin.
"This has been a dream season for sure," Haines said. "We lost one game last season in the SCOL, but the six seniors this year made it their goal to improve on that and led us to this perfect mark. They are so focused and went perfect in the league with class, as that's all you can ask for."
MHS has won 23 of their past 24 SCOL games, with their lone loss in that span coming early last season against Madison-Plains by a 1-0 score.
McClain showed that focus early on (Monday) as they trailed the Lady Panthers 1-0 after the top of the second inning was complete.
From the completion of the second until the final swing of the bat by Mullikin (2-for-4, five RBIs, three runs) … the Lady Tigers didn't trail again, scoring 13 runs on 17 hits en route to the league win.
[[In-content Ad]]Haines spoke about how the Lady Tigers learned from their three non-league losses this season and used that to become a better team.
"We learned a lot from our losses," Haines said as he was later presented with a golden softball by his team for their undefeated SCOL season. "You have to lose once in a while to get better, and we definitely learned from our losses this season."
The Lady Tiger rally began with a miscue on a pop-up by Miami Trace, as Morgan Dettwiller took first on an infield error, followed by a single to right field by Kate Crabtree. Emily Sterling (3-for-4, one RBI) followed by tying the game at one as she hit the ball just to the edge of centerfield, scoring Dettwiller. Crabtree (3-for-4, three runs) put MHS ahead 2-1 as she scored a run when MT missed a tag at third with two outs on a fielder's choice.
MHS increased their lead to six runs following the third inning by scoring five times with two outs on six hits and one walk, while tallying four RBIs.
"We came out a little nervous at the start, but we settled in and had the big third inning," Haines said. "Credit Miami Trace, they fought back, but we were able to put the game away. All of our seniors played well."
Jenna Perie led off the third inning with a base hit to centerfield, as Sarah Thompson entered the game as a courtesy runner for the catcher. With one out, Kate Crabtree singled to centerfield, and with two outs, Mullikin hit a chopper to centerfield for two RBIs, as Thompson and Crabtree both scored runs, putting MHS ahead 5-1.
The inning continued with Sasha Lawwell drawing a walk and Janelle Coleman singling to centerfield, batting in Mullikin. Cierra Landrum followed with a slap bunt down the third base line to left field, scoring Lawwell. Shania Massie topped off the inning with a base hit to centerfield, scoring Coleman. Massie finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Coleman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
Landrum led all MHS batters at 4-for-4 with one run and two RBIs.
MT came back with two runs in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Tigers took a seven-run lead, beginning with a base hit to right field by Sterling. With the first out being recorded on a fielder's choice and the second out on a pop out to second base, Coleman kept the inning going with a double to centerfield, scoring Mullikin. Landrum followed with an infield base hit to third base, and both Coleman and Landrum each scored on a bases-clearing, two-RBI triple to deep centerfield by Massie.
The final three Lady Tiger runs were scored in the bottom of the sixth for the walk-off win as Crabtree singled with one out, and with Alli Willett being a courtesy runner for Sterling, who singled, Mullikin brought everyone home with the aforementioned three-run home run.
Landrum was the winning pitcher for MHS, as she pitched six innings. Landrum allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks, as she finished with seven strikeouts.
With the regular season now completed for the Lady Tigers, they must wait for their opponent next Saturday, as they host a sectional championship game on May 12 against the winner of No. 8 seeded Washington and No. 9 seeded Hillsboro, who play on Wednesday, May 9 at WCH. Both are members of the SCOL.
"We understand our path ahead and the path that is behind us," Haines said. "The senior class and this team is a close-knit group, and they wanted the perfect league season more than I did. I told them they will be remembered forever because of this season."
BOX SCORE
MT 010 200 — 3 5 2
MHS 025 033 — 13 17 1
The run-rule win over the Lady Panthers, which was also senior night, puts the Lady Tigers in rare company as they not only are back-to-back league champions, a feat they accomplished last week with a win over the Washington Lady Blue Lions, but they finish 12-0 in league play, sweeping the league as they wrap up the regular season at 19-3 overall, ending the game over Miami Trace with a walk-off three-run home run by senior Brittany Mullikin.
"This has been a dream season for sure," Haines said. "We lost one game last season in the SCOL, but the six seniors this year made it their goal to improve on that and led us to this perfect mark. They are so focused and went perfect in the league with class, as that's all you can ask for."
MHS has won 23 of their past 24 SCOL games, with their lone loss in that span coming early last season against Madison-Plains by a 1-0 score.
McClain showed that focus early on (Monday) as they trailed the Lady Panthers 1-0 after the top of the second inning was complete.
From the completion of the second until the final swing of the bat by Mullikin (2-for-4, five RBIs, three runs) … the Lady Tigers didn't trail again, scoring 13 runs on 17 hits en route to the league win.
[[In-content Ad]]Haines spoke about how the Lady Tigers learned from their three non-league losses this season and used that to become a better team.
"We learned a lot from our losses," Haines said as he was later presented with a golden softball by his team for their undefeated SCOL season. "You have to lose once in a while to get better, and we definitely learned from our losses this season."
The Lady Tiger rally began with a miscue on a pop-up by Miami Trace, as Morgan Dettwiller took first on an infield error, followed by a single to right field by Kate Crabtree. Emily Sterling (3-for-4, one RBI) followed by tying the game at one as she hit the ball just to the edge of centerfield, scoring Dettwiller. Crabtree (3-for-4, three runs) put MHS ahead 2-1 as she scored a run when MT missed a tag at third with two outs on a fielder's choice.
MHS increased their lead to six runs following the third inning by scoring five times with two outs on six hits and one walk, while tallying four RBIs.
"We came out a little nervous at the start, but we settled in and had the big third inning," Haines said. "Credit Miami Trace, they fought back, but we were able to put the game away. All of our seniors played well."
Jenna Perie led off the third inning with a base hit to centerfield, as Sarah Thompson entered the game as a courtesy runner for the catcher. With one out, Kate Crabtree singled to centerfield, and with two outs, Mullikin hit a chopper to centerfield for two RBIs, as Thompson and Crabtree both scored runs, putting MHS ahead 5-1.
The inning continued with Sasha Lawwell drawing a walk and Janelle Coleman singling to centerfield, batting in Mullikin. Cierra Landrum followed with a slap bunt down the third base line to left field, scoring Lawwell. Shania Massie topped off the inning with a base hit to centerfield, scoring Coleman. Massie finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Coleman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
Landrum led all MHS batters at 4-for-4 with one run and two RBIs.
MT came back with two runs in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Tigers took a seven-run lead, beginning with a base hit to right field by Sterling. With the first out being recorded on a fielder's choice and the second out on a pop out to second base, Coleman kept the inning going with a double to centerfield, scoring Mullikin. Landrum followed with an infield base hit to third base, and both Coleman and Landrum each scored on a bases-clearing, two-RBI triple to deep centerfield by Massie.
The final three Lady Tiger runs were scored in the bottom of the sixth for the walk-off win as Crabtree singled with one out, and with Alli Willett being a courtesy runner for Sterling, who singled, Mullikin brought everyone home with the aforementioned three-run home run.
Landrum was the winning pitcher for MHS, as she pitched six innings. Landrum allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks, as she finished with seven strikeouts.
With the regular season now completed for the Lady Tigers, they must wait for their opponent next Saturday, as they host a sectional championship game on May 12 against the winner of No. 8 seeded Washington and No. 9 seeded Hillsboro, who play on Wednesday, May 9 at WCH. Both are members of the SCOL.
"We understand our path ahead and the path that is behind us," Haines said. "The senior class and this team is a close-knit group, and they wanted the perfect league season more than I did. I told them they will be remembered forever because of this season."
BOX SCORE
MT 010 200 — 3 5 2
MHS 025 033 — 13 17 1