The Lady Gobblers appeared to be ensnared in an East Hardy trap on senior night only to squawk away from capture rallying for a 6-5 victory, while Broadway Baseball smashed two home runs in a 13-0 shutout win on Monday.
The Lady Cougars celebrated the softball careers of seniors Emma Baker, Leanna Basye, Julia Hahn, Skye Metzer, Brooke Miller and Lexi Strawderman prior to the contest in which each one contributed to an early 4-1 lead.
“These seniors did an outstanding job, especially today. Both of my pitchers on the mound and my hitters were getting us some runs and things,” East Hardy Softball Coach Ashley Taylor remarked.
“I am very proud of them. They’re definitely going to be missed. Our team is going to have trouble filling their shoes, that’s for sure. With a team like that, it means a lot for our team to have an early lead. Once our girls got up, they were pumped and they stayed pumped the whole game. That’s a really good solid team and I am proud of what we did today, just wish we could have pulled out the win.”
East Hardy Softball pitcher Brooke Miller issued a full-count walk to Broadway leadoff batter Micayla Williams, then Taylor Hankins singled into center field.
Broadway’s Sarah Wimer hit into a fielder’s choice out as East Hardy shortstop Julia Hahn collected the ball and threw it to third baseman Emma Baker to catch Williams.
A pop-up was caught by East Hardy’s Madison Strawderman for the second out, but the Lady Gobblers managed to squeeze a run home on Emily Cambell’s RBI single into right field with Emily Yates throwing home and Metzer tossing to third base nearly making the out.
Campbell was caught in a rundown tag by Hahn to retire the side.
Never count a team as finished with two outs, because rallies happen when they are confident.
Broadway pitcher Grace Fravel opened the frame with a strikeout to Madison Strawderman before giving Lexi Strawderman a free pass.
Metzer popped out to the Broadway catcher Gretchen King for the second out, then the Lady Cougars (6-10-2) started the rally as Miller smacked the game-tying RBI double and advanced on the throw home.
Hahn followed with an RBI triple aided by an error in right center field as the ball ricocheted off a glove as East Hardy went up 2-1.
Hankins made a diving save on a grounder by Basye and was up in time to throw to first base.
Fravel grounded out to Basye to start the second inning and King singled into left field for the Lady Gobblers (9-2) to have one runner aboard.
Broadway’s Alyssa Goodloe was given a walk, but Tavia Shipe hit into a fielder’s choice out from Miller to Baker at third base.
Madison Strawderman fielded a grounder and dashed to first base for the out reaching it before Williams.
Fravel pitched two straight strikeouts to commence the bottom of the second inning, but the rally Cats were ready to make a move as Baker singled into right field.
Madison Strawderman ripped a grounder up the middle for a single as East Hardy’s momentum roared throughout the dugout.
Lexi Strawderman garnered a two-run producing double into right field to put the Lady Cougars up 4-1.
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Goodloe made a diving save at second base on a grounder by Metzer and fired to first base to end the frame.
Hankins grounded out to Madison Strawderman in the top of the third inning, but Broadway responded as Wimer doubled to the right field fence.
Sierra Lantz squeezed the ball past the glove of Hahn into left field where Jessica Smith lost the ball on a hop for an RBI error aided double cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Basye caught a line drive and threw to second base nearly turning a double play, then the side ended on a catch by Yates.
Hankins stepped in to pitch for the Lady Gobblers and sandwiched two strikeouts to Miller and Basye around a groundout by Hahn to Goodloe.
Hankins whipped a dozen strikeouts on the night with a speedy curve ball.
Miller pitched a strikeout to Broadway’s King to begin the fourth inning before Goodloe singled into center field past a dive by Madison Strawderman.
Shipe hit into a fielder’s choice and reached first base safely as the ball ricocheted out of Basye’s glove, but the runners were stranded on a fly ball caught by East Hardy center fielder Lexi Strawderman.
The Lady Cougars went down in order on strikeouts to Rebecca Whetzel, Smith and Baker, but still held a 4-2 advantage entering the fifth inning.
The Lady Gobblers went to work chipping away at the lead as Hankins smashed a leadoff solo home run to make it 4-3, then Wimer doubled into right field and Lantz singled up the middle.
After a pop-out, Fravel connected for a two-RBI double into right field and advanced to third base on the throw home by Yates before scoring on an error by Metzer at the plate as Broadway took a 6-4 lead.
East Hardy failed to get a runner on board on three strikeouts to Madison Strawderman, Lexi Strawderman and Metzer.
Shipe doubled into left field for the Lady Gobblers, but was left on base in the sixth inning on a pop-out to Basye, Lexi Strawderman caught a fly ball and Baker pitched a strikeout.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Miller drew a walk before Hahn popped out and advanced on an error before Basye struck out.
East Hardy’s Rebecca Whetzel hit an RBI single into center field to cut the deficit to 6-5, but wasn’t able to be sent home as Smith struck out.
Basye caught a pop-up at third base, then Campbell singled in the seventh inning for the Lady Gobblers.
Lexi Strawderman caught a fly ball for the second out, but Broadway put another runner on the base path as King singled into center field and Basye made the fielder’s choice out to strand the runners.
After a strikeout to Baker and a groundout by Madison Strawderman, East Hardy caught a break as Lexi Strawderman’s fly ball was missed in left field enabling her to reach second base.
Metzer fouled off three pitches deep before taking two balls, but swung for the third strike ending the game with the Lady Gobblers taking the 6-5 win.
“We just needed to keep our composure and keep doing what we do,” Broadway Softball Coach Becky Cantrell commented.
“We’re a good hitting team and needed to be more patient at the plate. I thought we swung at bad pitches early. They just worked through the pitch count a little better and got the pitches they liked, staying with the ball. I thought our hitting was real well. It was early in the year when we beat them. We know East Hardy is a great team and very well coached. We knew it was going to be a closer game.”
Down the hill on the baseball diamond, the Gobblers (6-6) scored four runs in the fifth inning and added seven more runs in the seventh inning including two homers to cap off a 13-0 victory.
East Hardy (4-11) struggled to connect as Broadway pitcher Troy Fink hurled eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings, scattering only three hits in the game.
The Cougars did have two runners on in the first inning as Clay Skovron was walked and Brett Tharp reached on an error, but Skovron was caught stealing third base for the last out.
East Hardy’s Adam Baker notched the initial hit which was a single in the second inning, but was stranded.
Brett Tharp pitched 5.2 innings throwing five strikeouts on the night for the Cougars.
The Gobblers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a RBI fielder’s choice by Bryce Suters after singles by Benjamin Reid and Bryce Turner.
Broadway extended the lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Pierce Rhodes, plating Tanner Morris after his single and two East Hardy runners were left on base in the bottom half of the inning.
Broadway loaded the bases in the fifth inning on a single to Bryce Suters and a pair of walks, then Morris hit a two-RBI double, Anthony Lookadoo made an RBI single and Rhodes scored a run on a fielder’s choice for a 6-nil advantage.
East Hardy’s second hit came in the sixth inning as Alex Miller singled.
In the top of the seventh inning, Broadway’s Morris tripled before Lookadoo crushed a two-run dinger off East Hardy pitcher Alex Miller.
Reid and Jacob Petersheim garnered RBI singles and Suters put the icing on the game with a three-run blast for the 13-0 final.
East Hardy managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning as Christian Dove singled, plus Logan Whetzel and Alex Miller drew walks only to have Broadway closer Bryce Turner step in to pitch a strikeout to seal the shutout.
The Gobblers ran free for the wins eluding capture in the Baker’s den, but East Hardy kept battling to the end.
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