43
W. Reserve takes round 1 from rival
The Vindicator
Photo
Western Reserve’s Sissy Stubbs, left, gets high fives from teammates after hitting a home run during Tuesday’s Inter Tri-County League softball game against Jackson-Milton. Western Reserve’s Rachael Obradovich, center, avoids the celebration.
W. RESERVE 5
J-MILTON 3
Next: Western Reserve at Jackson-Milton, today, 5 p.m.
By Tom Williams
BERLIN CENTER
Tuesday’s first-place showdown between the Jackson-Milton and Western Reserve softball teams featured a biting wind, rain followed by sunshine and clutch two-out hits.
After giving up three hits in the first inning, including Maddie Griffiths’ two-out RBI double, Western Reserve pitcher Sissy Stubbs limited the Bluejays to two singles over the final six innings in a 5-3 victory that extended the Blue Devils’ Inter Tri-County League Tier Two win streak to 45 games,
“It feels good to be in the lead, but it’s tough, knowing everybody is out to get us,” second-year coach Laura Amero said. “Big games like this really show our character.”
Stubbs’ fourth-inning homer put the Blue Devils (10-4, 7-0) ahead for good.
Stubbs said she’s been in a slump at the plate.
“It was one of those hits that you knew it’s going far but you never really know how far,” Stubbs said. “I really didn’t know until I rounded second and saw Coach Amero [signaling homer].”
Amero said her cleanup hitter “has been doing her job, constantly making hard contact. She has been disciplined, especially with offspeed [pitches]. She showed she could stay back and drive it.”
Trailing 1-0, the Blue Devils’ Chelsea Palumbo delivered a two-out double in the third inning that scored Maggie Stubbs.
An inning later, Hannah Mowery’s two-out single scored Cassie Burchett for a 3-1 lead. Two errors by the Bluejays in the sixth inning helped open up a 5-1 lead.
“We came out hard but we made some mistakes,” Jackson-Milton coach Kelly Snowden said. “To beat them, you have to play a flawless game. A good team like Western Reserve capitalized.”
Amero said Palumbo “has stepped up this year big time in many ways. She’s been driving the ball hard and she got us started.”
Palumbo was happy Mother Nature didn’t score another postponement.
“I had a good feeling about this,” the right fielder said. “It meant a lot to us because not only is Jackson our rival but they are good competition. Coming out on top after a nice challenge feels 10 times better.”
Palumbo admitted she felt a little heat at the plate because there were two outs.
“But with pressure comes ... discipline,” Palumbo said.
Griffiths’ two-out RBI double in the first inning gave the Bluejays (9-3, 6-1) the early lead. A leadoff walk and an error helped Jackson-Milton score twice in the seventh inning, with Katie Santor and Griffiths driving in runs.
“We never gave up, we came back,” Snowden said. “We had a chance to tie the game up. It’s a very young team, one starting senior. My pitcher and catcher are sophomores, the first baseman and third baseman are freshmen.”
As much as she enjoyed her homer, Stubbs said getting two strikeouts in the seventh inning was as big of a highlight.
“Trying to get the team settled down, getting that first out with two runners on was a big thing,” Stubbs said. “And on the last out, strike three felt amazing.”
Both coaches are hoping sunnier days are ahead.
“This wasn’t the game I’d like to play on a windy, rainy day as they are a very solid team,” Amero said.
A rematch is scheduled for today in North Jackson.
I can’t remember having this much rain,” Snowden said. “We need some continuity to play [well].”