SCOTS WIN EXTRA-INNING NAILBITER 2-1 OVER BLUFFTON UNIVERSITY
On Tuesday, the Alma Scots Softball team hosted Bluffton University, out of Ohio, in a doubleheader at blustery and chilly Scots Field. The Scots won the first game in dramatic fashion by a score of 2-1, when So. CF Kelly Koenigsknecht (Fowler, MI/Fowler) sprinted home on wild pitch in the eighth inning.
After a scoreless first two innings, Bluffton got on the board in the top of the third inning, when C Meagan Price walked with one out and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. 2B Lindsey Miller then proceeded to double with two outs, knocking in Price for a 1-0 Beavers lead.
Alma responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Koenigsknecht walked with two outs and then stole second to get into scoring position. The next batter, Jr. LF Kelsey Rightenburg (Lexington/Croswell-Lexington) doubled, knocking in Koenigsknecht and deadlocking the game at 1-1.
Each team had a chance to score in their half of the seventh inning, but neither squad was able to get a run across the board and the game headed into extra innings. Using the international tiebreaking rule, a batter is placed at second base to start the inning, and for Bluffton, it was CF Torrie Wilson.
The Beavers’ Price was first up and reached base on an infield single, with Wilson staying at second. The next batter grounded out to Alma So. P Tara Leddy (Saginaw, MI/Swan Valley), moving both runners up one base. After an intentional walk to load the bases, SS Chelsie Osborne hit a grounder to short on a play that saw Price get charged with runner’s interference for the second out and leaving the bases loaded. The Scots got out of the inning when Leddy was able to get the next batter to ground out to the third baseman.
The bottom of the eighth inning saw Koenigsknecht start the inning at second and she advanced to third when Rightenburg reached first on an error by the first baseman. The Beavers then decided to try to intentionally walk So. RF Chelsea Jensen (Sparta, MI/Sparta), but on the fourth pitch, P Brooke Babcock threw a wild pitch and Koenigsknecht raced home for the run and the 2-1 Scots victory.
Rightenburg finished two for four with an RBI and Koenigsknecht scored both Alma runs and had two stolen bases. Leddy gave up six hits in the eight innings and had five strikeouts, with two walks.
Posted: Tue, March 24th, 2009 at 5:31PM
