By Trent Friedel, exclusive to the Times
Monday evening had Winnfield coming to the Tiger softball diamond in a non-district test of Tigers. Saint Mary’s retired the side in the first inning and posted two runs on two hits and stranded two runners. Meredith Matt has trouble in the top of the second and loads the bases. Winnfield scores on a single past short. Elizabeth Heard goes down looking and the top of the order is up with two outs.
The second run of the inning scores on a walk and the bases are loaded again. Winnfield is retired on a fly ball and they leave three on base. In the bottom of the second, MaKenzie Methvin singles to start the inning.
That would be followed by three fly outs to end the inning and strand Methvin on base. The top of the third inning would be the thorn in the Saint Mary’s side. Chandler singles to score one run. Callie Griffin singles to score second run of the inning and runners are on the corners. Jordan Patterson blasts a home run to score three. Meredith Matt goes 2 and 2/3 innings before Reagan Davis takes the mound. Davis gives up a home run to Yocum before getting out of the inning. Saint Mary’s gives up eight runs in the top of the third and trails 10-2. The third inning starts with a strike out by Saint Mary’s.
Kelsie Ward gets on base after being hit by pitch and then Winnfield issues a walk. Two runners are on base for Meredith Matt who hits into a double play to end the inning. Winnfield goes three up three down to start the fourth. The bottom of the frame has Saint Mary’s clawing their way back into contention. MaKenzie Methvin reaches base on a walk with one out. Chloe Longlois doubles up the middle to put runners on second and third. Ragan Hale singles and one run scores.
Olivia Miller hits a sacrifice fly to center and another run scores. Maria Bienvenu dings a homer to left and scores two runs. The base paths are empty for Kelsie Ward who delivers up a home run and the Tigers have trimmed the score deficit to only three runs trailing 10-7. Saint Mary’s scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Saint Mary’s contains the Winnfield Tigers in the fifth inning allowing no runs. Reagan Davis doubles with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. She is replaced by Izzy Peluso as a pinch runner. MaKenzie Methvin singles but Peluso is thrown out at third. Chloe Longlois reaches base on an error by the first baseman. There are runners on the corners for Ragan Hale who singles and scores one run. Olivia Miller walks after starting down in the count zero balls and two strikes. That would load the bases for Maria Bienvenu who hits a fly ball to third to end the inning and strand three runners on base but the score is 10-8.
A leadoff home run by Rachel Yocum, the four hole hitter, starts things off for Winnfield in the sixth. It would be the only scoring though as the side is retired on a ground out, fly out and ground out. Saint Mary’s is unable to produce runs in the sixth despite having runners on the corners with two outs. Winnfield goes to work in the seventh inning to get insurance runs across the plate. Elizabeth Heard walks and is advanced to second on a bunt by Tyra Triplett who is safe at first. Lauren Polk Walks and the bases are loaded with no outs. Kassidy Grantadams goes yard to put four runners across and sink the dagger in the heart of the Saint Mary’s Tigers. Winnfield hits a fly ball for the first out and then a fly ball to deep left field finds dirt for a double.
Reagan Davis makes a great play on the mound to record the second out and Jordan Patterson strikes out swinging but the damage is done. Saint Mary’s is unable to recover from the additional runs scored and loose by a final of 15-8. They will play one more non-district game in preparation for the playoffs. Coach Wren said, “I told the girls that you can’t stop home run balls and Winnfield hit plenty today. They (Winnfield) are a good team but I’m excited to see what we can do in the postseason.
We went 5-1 last week but lost spots in the rankings. It’s about who gets the big hits when they need hits. I know we will keep fighting.”