Lady Scots slip, slide their way to 11-7 win
ALVERTON — Southmoreland’s softball team slipped and slid to a rain-abbreviated 11-7 win over Waynesburg Central on Monday. The result leaves both teams tied for second place in Section 3-AAA.
Rain of varying degrees fell throughout the game, leaving the field swampy by the time the umpires stopped play in the fifth inning after the Lady Scotties had rallied with seven runs to answer a five-run Waynesburg rally in the top half of the inning.
“The game should have been stopped earlier,” said Waynesburg Central coach Jim Armstrong. “We battled through the elements, but it was tough weather to play softball in.”
Waynesburg Central (4-2, 8-3) took advantage of a Southmoreland error to score twice with two outs in the first inning.
Pitcher Katie Troisi-Clark walked Rachel Eisenheimer and Tara Staley. But when Madison Johnson grounded back to the pitcher for the likely third out, the throw was dropped at first base as Eisenheimer scored. A wild pitch with Bailee Shimek at bat allowed Staley to score for a 2-0 lead.
Southmoreland stranded Olivia Porter and Lexi Klatt at third base in the first and second innings, but took the lead with a three-run third. Maegan Shetterly struck out swinging to lead off the inning, but reached base as the ball bounced to the backstop. After Porter grounded into a force out, Bethany Bunner singled and both runners advanced on the throw to third base.
Troisi-Clark singled in Porter and Bunner, and came around to score on Addy Nicholson’s bunt single and an error for a 3-2 lead.
Southmoreland (4-2, 5-3) made it 4-2 in the fourth when Faith Miller and Courtney Myers singled, Shetterly bunted the runners over, and Porter’s fielder’s choice ground ball drove in Miller.
Waynesburg sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth as Jordan Sibert walked and moved up on a wild pitch, Paige Rutan singled and stole second, and Eisenheimer singled in Sibert and Rutan to tie it.
Staley reached base on an error, Johnson’s ground out drove in Eisenheimer, and Troisi-Clark walked Lexi Fuqua. Sophia Gatti came in to pitch, and walked two batters with Staley scoring and Fuqua scoring on a passed ball for a 7-4 lead before a strikeout and fly out ended the at bat.
Southmoreland answered through increasing rain drops by sending nine batters to the plate as Troisi-Clark and Nicholson singled, Klatt’s sacrifice fly out drove in Troisi-Clark. Charity Henderson walked, Miller singled to drive in Nicholson. Pinch-hitter Alexei Belzer singled off the third base bag to drive in Henderson to tie the game.
Shetterly doubled off the left field fence to drive in Miller and Belzer, Porter tripled just past Hannah Kalsey’s diving attempt in left field as Shetterly scored, and Bunner drove in Porter on a misplayed ground ball for an 11-7 lead.
That’s when the umpires stopped play to check the rule books on the status of the game.
“We battled as hard as we could battle,” Armstrong said. “It was tough for both teams.”