Bellwood-Antis defeated Bishop Guilfoyle in a marathon softball game on Wednesday that included 29 hits, 18 walks and 10 errors, before the Bellwood-Antis Lady Blue Devils put a “W” in the win column, edging the Lady Marauders 17-16.
For most of the season, the B-A girls have been competitive for much of the game, but have given up one big inning that has cost them dearly. Bishop Guilfoyle scored seven runs in the top of the fifth inning at Bellwood on Wednesday, but this time the Lady Blue Devils had an answer, already having put a seven-spot on their own side of the scoreboard in the fourth. Bellwood-Antis also started out strong, scoring three in the bottom of the first to take the early lead and four more two innings later in the third to maintain a 7-4 lead following an uprising by BG to temporarily take a 4-3 lead in the top of the inning.
After the Lady Marauders edged ahead 16-15 in the top of the sixth inning, the Bellwood-Antis girls regrouped one more time to secure the victory.
Winning pitcher Heather Detwiler led off the frame with a fly ball that was misplayed. After Christine Pfahler flied out to center, Charlie Burns hit into a fielder’s choice forcing Detwiler at second base for the second out of the inning. Casey Narehood had a solid base hit up the middle to put runners on first and second. Pam Weyant lined a shot down the third base line to score Burns with the tying run. Chelsea Kephart came through in the clutch, with a single to left that got Narehood home with the winning run.
Forney led the Lady Blue Devils with a four-for-five performance at the plate that included a double and four RBI. Pfahler added three base hits, including a pair of doubles and Narehood and Kephart had three hits each. Detwiler and Weyant had two hits each. Eight different Blue devils had at least one RBI in the slugfest.
Megan Horrell had four hits, including a pair of doubles and three RBI for Bishop Guilfoyle, Anna Shrift added two hits and two RBI and Laura Deeley had a double and four RBI.
“This was a great win for the girls,” said Bellwood-Antis coach Alex Sitman. “The lead kept changing back and forth and our girls just kept coming back. This game was won in practice all last week. The girls could have folded, but they have been working hard to get better offensively and defensively. Today, every time they were challenged, they stepped up and came back. That was a great show of their character. The regulars came through with a solid game and our younger girls stepped up at key times. With a lot of pressure on them, they came through and did a great job.”
The Blue Devils (2-15) home game with Williamsburg, scheduled for Friday, has been moved to Tuesday. The next action for B-A will be Monday at home against West Branch. Both games will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Bellwood-Antis 17 Bishop Guilfoyle 16
BISHOP GUILFOYLE 004 174 0 16-10-7.
BELLWOOD-ANTIS 304 712 X 17-19-3.
Multiple Hits: BG- Horrell 4, Shrift 2, BA- Forney 4, Pfahler 3, Narehood 3, Kephart 3, Detwiler 2, Weyant 2.
2B: BG- Horrell 2, Deeley 1, BA- Pfahler 2, Detwiler 1, Forney 1.
RBI: BG- Deeley 4, Horrell 3, Lytle 2, Shrift 2, B. Sweeney 1, T. Sweeney 1, Conner 1, BA- Forney 4, Pfahler 3, Narehood 3, Burns 2, Weyant 2, Detwiler 1, Kephart 1, Riley 1.
SO: BG- T. Sweeney 4, BA- Detwiler 3.
BB: BG- T. Sweeney 4, BA- Detwiler 14.
WP: Detwiler LP: T. Sweeney
