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 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 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.
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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
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