PREP SOFTBALL West Middlesex overcomes deficit to defeat Hickory

The Big Red used a variety of tactics for the victory.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. -- Most good teams subscribe to two important philosophies -- "believe in yourself" and "don't ever give up."
The West Middlesex High softball team displayed both of those attitudes Friday as it scored a run in the fifth inning and added two more in the sixth to record a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Hickory.
"I just told my wife that I may never again coach a team of kids that have the heart these girls have," West Middlesex coach Gene Rubeo said. "All nine of them lay it out from start to finish and they never quit."
Early advantage: Hickory took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and fifth innings, and they executed in the same fashion.
The runs were scored via a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI hit by Beth Mudrey, who finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
"We were comfortable with where we were," Hickory coach Rick Ladjevich said. "We executed the sacrifice bunt twice and scored the pair of runs, but West Middlesex is a good team."
In the final two innings, West Middlesex used a variety of tactics to score the three runs, including wild pitches, walks, errors and, most importantly, bunts.
"West Middlesex puts a lot of pressure on you," Ladjevich said.
If there would have been a Player of the Game, West Middlesex's Michelle Bator would have been an odds-on favorite to receive the honor. She went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two stolen bases, and she always seemed to make the play defensively.
"She spoils my pitchers, because when a ball is hit in that [shortstop] area, it is going to be an out," Rubeo said. "She has only made one error in 19 games this year. She just has all the instincts you need to play the game."
Facing adversity: With his team trailing 2-0, Rubeo was quick to admit that things looked anything but bright. Hickory pitcher Liz Sherman was in control -- on the mound and at the plate, where she went 3-for-4.
"Since the last time we saw Liz, she must have picked up at least four or five miles an hour on her speed," Rubeo said. "I was really surprised at how quick she was tonight."