Softball

Pick up sticks

Tri-Valley routs Eldred with a 14-run fifth as Lady Bears’ bats blaze

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — Tri-Valley softball coach Mary Feusner has been waiting for her team to break out their sticks. After registering only one hit against Chester and six against Tuxedo in the team’s two recent losses, Feusner finally got to see the potential she knew was there, and then some, on April 18 as the Lady Bears routed Eldred.

For the first four innings, the two teams battled in a close game as Eldred hurler Rachel Smith and Anni Hartman for Tri-Valley kept their opponents mostly in check.

And then it happened.

Eldred coach Jolene Porter described it thusly. “The wheels just came off the cart.” She was referring to the Lady Bears’ 14-run fifth inning that ended the game by the 15-run rule, with Tri-Valley posting a lopsided 18-2 victory. Tri-Valley entered the fifth inning leading by the score 4-2 but the Lady Bears batted around and around, sending 17 batters to the plate as Eldred tried to get the second and third out to stop the runaway train.

They never did.

Pinch hitter Addie Frost started it off with a single. She moved up on a passed ball. Kaylie Ackerley walked and both runners advanced on another passed ball and then came home on Karyn Sheeley’s single. Sheeley would come home as Skylar Musa reached on a throwing error. By day’s end, Sheeley crossed the plate four times.

In what amounted to a blue blur, Tri-Valley runners kept circling the bases as Eldred desperately sought to stop the bleeding. With sophomore Christine Neist’s single that brought in runs 17 and 18, the umpires called the game and Tri-Valley (2-2) added a win to the one previously registered against Roscoe.

Eldred (0-6) continues to search for a winning formula. “We’ve got to play better defense,” said Porter. “They got some good hits, but we made too many errors. That’s been our problem so far.”

Porter hopes her team can begin to turn things around soon. Eldred has plenty of experience on the field, including seniors Paulina Renggli and Celia Oset and juniors Maxine Ellert, Sara Bisland, Rachel Smith, Kim Bruno and Steph Compasso.

Eldred lost to The Family School by the score of 18-7 on April 19 and then hosted Monticello on April 23. On April 26, the Lady Yellowjackets will revisit Tri-Valley as one of four teams in the 18th annual Sullivan County Softball Officials (SCSO) tournament. Tri-Valley has won the last three titles and Feusner hopes that her 28th year of coaching will lead to a fabulous fourth crown.

Behind the solid pitching of Anni Hartman, who allowed only four hits against the Yellowjackets, that could happen if Tri-Valley hitters continue to find their strokes. Far more challenging games included an April 21 loss against Livingston Manor with phenom pitcher Marissa Diescher, and an April 25 game against reigning Class D state champion Chapel Field with hurler Alyssa Brognano.

The good news for Tri-Valley is that they are home all week.

Feusner was pleased with her team’s efforts. “Anni put the ball over the plate and the team played good defense behind her. I thought the team was very aggressive today and played like they know they can,” she said.

Eldred got on the board first as Ellert reached on a single, moved up on a passed ball and scored on an E-5 off the bat of Jill Harris. Ellert had two hits on the day.

Tri-Valley answered with a trio of runs in the bottom of the frame with RBI from Kaylie Ackerley and Sheeley. The Lady Bears added a run in the bottom of the second inning with a RBI from Ellen Williams. Smith held Tri-Valley scoreless in the third and fourth and Eldred got within two in the top of the third, plating a run on an E-9 off the bat of Renggli.

But as previously noted, the fifth marked the finish as the final score went into the books.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.