Bensing fires 2-hitter

Lakeview's pitcher, backed by Lex Sidley's home run, beat Hubbard 3-1.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Lakeview was late arriving for Friday's game -- partially because the team bus waited for a train in Hubbard -- but that was the only impediment the Bulldogs faced the rest of the afternoon.
Lakeview fell behind early, 1-0, then took control and won the Trumbull Athletic Conference softball game, 3-1.
It was Lakeview's second win over Hubbard this week. The Bulldogs (10-1, 6-0) also beat the Eagles on Tuesday, 8-2.
"This was their home turf and we knew this would be a tough one," Lakeview coach Carl Eaton said of the anticipation of Friday's game following Tuesday's win in Cortland.
Acclimation
"You could tell the bats were a little slow and [Kara] Egelsky got us a little while, but the second time around [in the lineup] we felt comfortable and we started to hit."
Eaton was referring to a scoreless first two innings against Hubbard's pitcher.
"You don't want to take anything away from their pitcher [Egelsky] but we just didn't connect. I've got a good-hitting team and, the second time around -- the more you see her -- the hits came through."
Another key factor in the equation was Abbey Bensing, who, once she settled in, threw a two-hitter and struck out eight.
Bensing, a sophomore, gave up her only hits back-to-back in the first inning: a double to Gabby Flynn and a single to Egelsky.
Then Bensing (6-1) shut down the Eagles (11-5, 6-3 TAC).
"The girl did a good job pitching," Hubbard coach Ken Miller said. "You've got to take your hat off to them. They were a little better than us tonight."
Egelsky's hit to knock in Flynn stood as the game's only score until the third inning. That's when Brigitte Morvay beat out a grounder which Hubbard shortstop Meagan Schultz had to field, practically, from behind third base.
Pair of doubles
Jen Baker's double to right-center pushed Morvay to third. Angela DeCesare's bunt was quickly disposed of by third baseman Kim Budd, but Chelsea Butler followed with a line-drive double over Budd's head to score both Morvay and Baker for the go-ahead runs.
Lex Sidley led off the fourth inning with a swing that made solid contact and launched her home run into a pine tree in left-center field.
The next batter, Jessica Downs reached third base, but was stranded. The first out of the inning was made when Hubbard catcher Jessica Lunt ran down a pop bunt off the bat of Joanna Novotny.
In the sixth inning, Sidley singled, then reached third base before Egelsky struck out the next two Lakeview batsmen.
Of Lakeview's eight hits, Sidley was the only one with two.
Egelsky (6-3), a junior, also finished with eight strikeouts.
Eaton said that Tuesday's 8-2 score reflected better hitting.
"You'll notice the difference is that we hit her [Egelsky] well at our field and not so well here. But tonight [Friday] we got hits when we needed them.
Further comparison
"At our place we just saw the ball well that was a day after coming off a win over Champion. Things are clicking and we got both pitchers [Hubbard's Flynn and Egelsky] that day and the hits did not stop. Tonight you could tell that Egelsky wanted us. She pitched a good game, but we got some key hits and the home run by Lex [Sidley] probably took some of the gas out. But they play us tough."
Flynn, a junior, has been winning games for the Eagles since her freshman year. Budd and Tressa Scahill are Hubbard's only two seniors who start.
bassetti@vindy.com