Facing the
Titans - undefeated since their opening loss to the
Tigers - with a chance to go over .500 for the first time this
season, the Tigers instead put themselves in a hole too deep
to climb out of. That didn't stop them from trying,
however.
The Tigers batted first for the sixth
time in seven game, their home schedule heavily loaded toward
the second half of the season. Facing Kendra Bryson, the
Tigers were inexplicably nervous; while likely the best
pitcher they will face this year, they have hit well all
season, including against Bryson in their first meeting.
Still, after freezing on a called strike, Caroline Kilday
responded with a liner, snagged by Olivia Morgan at
short. Allyson
Williams walked on four pitches and stole to
third, as the Tigers put Katie Westmoreland and
Rutherford
Stephens to the plate. Both girls were teammates of
Bryson last season, helping them avoid the trepidation that
ran through the rest of the team, and each singled after
fighting through to a 2-2 count, Katie's driving in
Allyson
from third. Audrey Hipple was hit by a pitch (Bryson hit
four batters in their last match up - the only defensible
cause for the unnerved Tigers) to load the bases. Here
Bryson took over with two strikeouts on just seven total
pitches, the Tigers passive, uncharacteristically taking both strike
two and three. The Titans walked their way to a 3-1 lead
in the bottom of the inning, Katie picking up one strikeout
along the way.
The second inning proved a
continuation of the first, with Bryson striking out the side
to run her string to five straight strikeouts. Only
Kinsey Phillips offered resistance, making Bryson earn it; the
other two Tigers took five pitches each, offering at
none. The Titans remained content to stand at the plate
as well, accepting either a strikeout or a walk. Of the
14 batters Katie faced through her two innings, 13 watched
every pitch. Despite Katie striking out another batter
in the second, the Titans moved to a 6-1 lead.
Bryson moving off the mound appeared
to lift the Tigers up, loading the bases on walks to Tina
Savic, Caroline, and
Allyson, before the inning came to a
crashing end. Katie popped
up to Morgan at shortstop, and
Allyson at first picked up the play a moment too late, getting
caught retreating back to the bag. Tina, running home
and so with her back to the action never saw the play or heard
the coaches urging her back, and was retired to complete a
triple play. The Titans went on to amass a 9-1 lead off Rutherford. A less intimidating pitcher than
Katie, the
Titans seven batters actually offered at five pitches, and
managed their only hit of the game. Still, Rutherford
picked up her first career strikeout.
Rutherford led off the fourth inning
against Morgan, drawing a walk and stealing to third as Audrey
and Brittany Leeper walked behind her, loading the
bases. No repeat of the third inning catastrophe
followed, though, as Ashley
Favors was hit by a pitch to pick
up the Tigers first run on the inning. Irene Tsinajinnie
drove in Audrey from third with a walk, and Stami Luchette
finished the inning with an RBI walk, the Tigers narrowing the
deficit to 9-4.
Rutherford returned to the mound for
the bottom of the fourth, Audrey ready to take over should she
falter. Knowing she had do pitch well to stay in,
Rutherford struck out the first two batters, and got ahead of
the third before she lined out to Caroline at shortstop,
completing the Tigers first 1-2-3 inning of the year.
The fifth inning removed the three
run limit for the Tigers as they sought to climb back into the
game. Tina went to a fifth pitch, twice fouling off
pitches before putting the ball into play; Morgan was able to
pounce off the mound to catch Tina's hit just off the ground
for the first out. Caroline drilled the first pitch to
left field less than a yard foul, ripping a single to right on the next. Allyson fouled off the first four pitches before being forced
to go for a high fifth pitch, putting the Tigers an out away
from a loss. But Katie followed with a long fly to right
center that reached the fence so quickly the Titans were able
to hold her to a single. While Katie retreated back to
first base, she bought time for Caroline, circling the bases
to score from first, and closing to 9-5. Katie moved on
to second anyway on a stolen base, as Rutherford missed on the
first pitch, and scored on her pop single over second
base. With the tying run on deck, Audrey bounced hard to
first, but the Titans first baseman was able to recover the
ball in time to make the play for the final out, leaving the
Tiger rally short in a 9-6 setback.
|
Recent Results
Tuesday, April 17
Panthers 9,
Sluggers 5
Thursday, April 19
Titans 9,
Tigers 6
Upcoming Games
Sunday, April 22
Sluggers v
Titans (4:15)
Monday, April 23
Thrashers v
Panthers (7:45)
Tuesday, April 24
Tigers v
Sluggers (7:45)
Tiger of the Game
Combining
2 for 2 hitting with a 1-2-3 inning pitching, including three
strikeouts (her first), Rutherford
Stephens keyed the Tigers
comeback attempt and picks up the Tiger of the Game honors in
this contest.
Next Game
Date: Tuesday, April 24
Time: 7:45 PM
Opponent: Sluggers
Drinks: Stephens
The Tigers upcoming
schedule is somewhat in disarray, as two games anticipated
over the weekend are being rescheduled. All five teams
will have played 5 games of a 12 game schedule by Sunday,
April 22, save the Thrashers at just four. At least
we're all in the same situation...
|
