Sullivan County Women’s Softball League

Nugget notches nice win over Mr. Willy’s

Ladies in red never trail in A Division battle

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONGAUP VALLEY, NY - Nugget players will be the first to admit it: moving up to the A Division has been no easy task. Still, no matter what the competition, if you go out and play hard every night, you’re going to get results.

After falling to Dutch’s earlier in the week, Nugget bounced back and got a first-inning 2-0 lead over Mr. Willy’s on July 6. They led the entire game.

When it comes to the rigors of moving up to the tougher division, Mr. Willy’s can tell a tale of its own. It happened to them a couple of years back and the going hasn’t been easy since.

They came into this game at 5-5, but were missing a number of players and had to play with nine instead of ten. Nugget’s Megan Kitson got things started with a single off Mr. Willy’s pitcher Chrissy Schiff. Rebecca Sykes and Karen Warden did the same. The latter’s single plated the game’s first run. Mr. Willy’s came up and faced opposing pitcher Ro Steuber, but went down in order in the first.

Nugget turned a second-inning rally into four more runs as Sam Biro led off with a single and Stef Kellam, along with Steuber, loaded the bases. An E-6 allowed Kitson to get on and drive in a run. Sykes and Warden each grounded out, but runs scored on both at-bats. Kim Jay’s single knocked in the fourth run of the frame.

In the bottom of the second, Mr. Willy’s got on the board with two runs. Diane Meyer led off with a single and Alesia Rexford reached on an E-6. Ashley Wagner hit a two-run double.

Nugget continued to pile it on, scoring two more in the third, and three in the fourth and fifth on their way to a 14-run total. Key in the offensive display was Steuber and Kitson in the third, Amanda Davis’ double in the fourth and Warden, Jay and Kendra Harris in the fifth.

Mr. Willy’s got one run in the third inning on an RBI from Rexford, who drove in Megan Moran. They got another back in the fourth with an RBI single from Wagner, who drove in Schiff.

Still, Mr. Willy’s had trouble stringing together hits and keeping pace with a torrid Nugget team that improved its record to 3-7, while Mr. Willy’s fell to 5-6. Mr. Willy’s got a run in the seventh after Meyer hit a booming triple and Rexford brought her in on a groundout.

For both teams, the agenda is to come out, play hard and have fun. These ladies are certainly doing that.

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