Bobcats Walk-Off Game 1, Fall Short Game 2 Against Clark State College
Bobcats softball never seems out of any game, against the Eagles the Cats proved it once again.
SOLON, OH- One of the themes of Bryant & Stratton softball this season has seemingly been the club's ability to come back late in games. Tuesday at Sports Force Parks in Sandusky, Ohio was no exception against Clark State College.
In game one, the Cats struck first. Sam Goode drove in an RBI, scoring Kamia Pou. The Eagles would respond, and tie the game up momentarily at 1. The Bobcats offense would see the ball well throughout the course of the day. Sommer Bourne would get her day started with an RBI triple that skipped past the Eagles right fielder. Abby Spalding and Brooklyn Gramse came around to score, making the score 3-1 after three complete innings.
Clark State was only able to respond in the fourth with a run, and tripped the Bobcat lead back down to one. In the fifth inning, the Eagles had their best appearances at the plate, as they scored 3 runs, and took the lead 4-3. As has been the theme this season, the Cats would have an answer.
In the sixth inning, Rylee Croucher hit a hustle infield single which scored Pou. The game was knotted 4-4 heading into the final seventh inning.
The Eagles would respond with a run of their own, and held the lead 5-4 as the Cats got their final appearances at the plate. Halle Williams got the rally started for Bryant & Stratton, due to an RBI single, scoring Bourne and tying the game up once again 5-5.
Kamia Pou, who went a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with a walk, would get her chance to step into the batter's box. Pou delivered a double down the left field line, and scoring on the play was Autumn Fuller. The Cats would walk it off with a Pou RBI double.
"I just try and do what I can for the team, and it makes me feel good I can give the team as much as possible." Pou said. "Especially since it's my last year, anything that can help, especially the walk-offs, are always good."
As a team, the bats were hot as the Cats recorded 12 hits. Bourne had two triples and scored three times. Goode had a pair of hits as well.
On the mound, Goode got into a rhythm, and struck out 10 batters, and only had 3 earned runs, in a complete seven inning effort.
In game two, the Eagles burned off some frustration in the early going, they would execute a five run first inning. The Bobcats responded in their bottom half of the first a pair of runs making the score 5-2. After each club went scoreless in the second, Clark State would tack on two more runs in the third inning. Once again, the Bobcats countered with three runs of their own.
In the third inning down 7-2, Bourne would reach on an error, but Abby Spalding hustled down the line and crossed home plate. Williams would carry the momentum with a double to deep left field, Bourne would score, and the Eagles lead was cut down to 7-4. Goode would give the Bobcats their final run of the inning with a single up the middle.
Clark State had been playing well all day, and got runs when they needed them most. The Eagles would add on two big runs in the fifth, and hold a 9-5 lead as the game went into the sixth inning. When the Cats had their opportunity, the team would get within a run as Brooklyn Gramse had an RBI single. Later on in the inning, Williams would reach on an Eagle error, which scored both Gramse and Fuller. The Cats would get within one, as the score stood at 9-8.
The Eagles would knock in a run, and that would ultimately be enough as the final was 10-8.
From the dish, Williams would record a team high 3 RBI. The Bobcats would again have double figure hit totals, with 12 as a team. On the mound, Croucher got the start and struck out three batters in seven complete innings.
Bryant & Stratton will now shift their focus to a triple header against Owens Community College Friday, April 28 at Sports Force Parks in Sandusky.