With a lineup featuring two freshmen and seven eighth-graders, the Cougar JVs grabbed an early lead, fell behind in the second inning, then tied things in the fourth. In the first extra inning, the sixth, the Lady Waves scored twice, only to see the Cougars come back to tie things again. Grayson County then won it in the bottom of the seventh with a single run.
The Cougars scored first, getting a run in the bottom of the first. Cristina Majors walked to leadoff, then starting pitcher Taylor Houchin beat out a bunt for a hit. Majors continued on to third, then scored when the throw was mishandled by left-fielder Danielle Hendley, who was trying to cover the unmanned bag.
Houchin gave up a one-out triple in the first inning, but pitched out of the jam. She ran into further difficulties, though, in the second to allow a pair of runs. Back-to-back singles and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with no outs. Houchin then got Erica Whelan and Kelsi Junkins on pop-ups to second and third. She was ahead on the count 1-2, and nearly out of the inning, when she gave up a single to Hendley that put the Lady Waves ahead 2-1.
Grayson County tied things in the fourth. Jayme Blessitt led off the inning by striking out, but when the ball hit the ground before being fielded by Meade catcher Kristie Allen, Blessitt alertly ran to first.
Allen, totally confused by things, short-armed a throw in the general direction of the mound and Blessitt was safe at first. Blessitt stole second base, then scored when Allison Alvey ripped a double into the gap in right-center.
Freshman Beth Schultz replaced Houchin on the mound in the fourth inning and she was hurt by some lax fielding behind her in the sixth. After striking out the leadoff batter, Kasi Cannady reached on an error by Alvey. Allen followed with a grounder to Jackie Higdon at short. Higdon booted the ball, then compounded her error by throwing wildly to first, allowing the runners to advance to second and third.
Another grounder to short was misplayed, allowing a run to score. Higson then got an out on another grounder, but the second run of the inning crossed the plate.
Needing two runs to stay in the game in their half of the sixth, the Cougars got busy right away. Blessitt led off with a single to left and went to third when Alvey beat out an infield hit. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, then scored on a base hit by Cassie Colston, who had reentered the game for Higdon at short.
The Cougars were in excellent shape to end the game right there, but some curious base-running took them out of the inning. With no one out, Shelbi Carter walked to put runners at first and second for catcher Jenna Cantway, who had singled and walked in her first two appearances at the plate. For some reason, Colston attempted a steal of third and was thrown out for the first out.
Cantway followed with a foul pop-up that was caught for the second out. Again, for reasons unknown, Carter had been running all the way on the one-out pop and was easily doubled up at first base to end the inning.
Schultz held the Lady Waves scoreless in the top of the seventh and the Cougars wasted little time setting up the winning run. Majors and Houchin led off the inning with singles before Alyssa Blessitt struck out for the first out. Jayme Blessitt followed by rapping a 1-1 pitch past the shortstop and into center field, scoring Majors with the winning run.
donbrown00@alltel.net
Staff writer
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