jeffpatterson
04-03-2008, 10:16 PM
Rivals fit to be tied on rainy day
Despite cold rain, a struggling Tabb team and undefeated York excel in the field through an 11-inning deadlock.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
YORK — The conditions couldn’t have been much worse, yet each team kept making plays in a cold, driving rain. And they kept doing it so long that the umpires had no choice — the game was called, and the result was a tie.
Eleven innings weren’t enough to solve it, so York and Tabb ended up with a 1-1 tie Thursday afternoon/evening. The host Falcons remained unbeaten, though their perfect season is history. The Tigers, after a 1-5 start, gave their second strong performance in a row.
Both teams had chances to pull it out before play was called, but neither could get that final push. Tabb left two runners in scoring position during the four extra innings. York third baseman Courtney Williamson made perhaps the play of the game when she robbed Melanie Tenney of what would have been an RBI single in the 11th.
The Falcons stranded runners at second base in the 10th and 11th. York looked to have something going in the ninth when Ashley Prosper singled with one out. But Rachel Lamb lined hard to third baseman Emily Wright, who doubled up Prosper to end the inning.
“I told the girls I was proud of the way they played,” York coach Amy Hunter said. “Obviously we didn’t hit the ball as well as we had been the past six games, but you have to credit Tabb. They were ready to play. They’re always ready to play when they play us.”
Both pitchers were outstanding, particularly from the seventh inning on, when the rain fell harder. Prosper scattered nine hits and pitched smartly to get out of jams. Tabb’s Danielle Gleason limited York to six hits and shook off a scary moment.
It came in the sixth inning, when with Mary O’Connor at first and one out, the Falcons’ Stephanie Olsen lined a shot back to the mound. The ball struck Gleason in the head and bounced back to the fence along the third-base line. O’Connor took third and Olsen ended up at second, but all eyes were on Gleason, who had fallen to the ground.
She got up quickly, but Tabb’s coaches were cautious in checking her out. Gleason not only remained in the game, she struck out Prosper to end the threat.
“All she said was, ‘Let me pitch, let me pitch, let me pitch,’ ” Tabb coach Kay Aultman said. “She was afraid I was going to take her out. That’s Danielle — she’s got a hard head.”
TABB 1, YORK 1, 11 INNINGS
Tabb00010000000 — 190
York00001000000 — 164
Standouts — Tabb, Wright 4-5 (1 run), Munday 2-3, Arthur 2-5. Records — Tabb 2-5-1, York 6-0-1.
Despite cold rain, a struggling Tabb team and undefeated York excel in the field through an 11-inning deadlock.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
YORK — The conditions couldn’t have been much worse, yet each team kept making plays in a cold, driving rain. And they kept doing it so long that the umpires had no choice — the game was called, and the result was a tie.
Eleven innings weren’t enough to solve it, so York and Tabb ended up with a 1-1 tie Thursday afternoon/evening. The host Falcons remained unbeaten, though their perfect season is history. The Tigers, after a 1-5 start, gave their second strong performance in a row.
Both teams had chances to pull it out before play was called, but neither could get that final push. Tabb left two runners in scoring position during the four extra innings. York third baseman Courtney Williamson made perhaps the play of the game when she robbed Melanie Tenney of what would have been an RBI single in the 11th.
The Falcons stranded runners at second base in the 10th and 11th. York looked to have something going in the ninth when Ashley Prosper singled with one out. But Rachel Lamb lined hard to third baseman Emily Wright, who doubled up Prosper to end the inning.
“I told the girls I was proud of the way they played,” York coach Amy Hunter said. “Obviously we didn’t hit the ball as well as we had been the past six games, but you have to credit Tabb. They were ready to play. They’re always ready to play when they play us.”
Both pitchers were outstanding, particularly from the seventh inning on, when the rain fell harder. Prosper scattered nine hits and pitched smartly to get out of jams. Tabb’s Danielle Gleason limited York to six hits and shook off a scary moment.
It came in the sixth inning, when with Mary O’Connor at first and one out, the Falcons’ Stephanie Olsen lined a shot back to the mound. The ball struck Gleason in the head and bounced back to the fence along the third-base line. O’Connor took third and Olsen ended up at second, but all eyes were on Gleason, who had fallen to the ground.
She got up quickly, but Tabb’s coaches were cautious in checking her out. Gleason not only remained in the game, she struck out Prosper to end the threat.
“All she said was, ‘Let me pitch, let me pitch, let me pitch,’ ” Tabb coach Kay Aultman said. “She was afraid I was going to take her out. That’s Danielle — she’s got a hard head.”
TABB 1, YORK 1, 11 INNINGS
Tabb00010000000 — 190
York00001000000 — 164
Standouts — Tabb, Wright 4-5 (1 run), Munday 2-3, Arthur 2-5. Records — Tabb 2-5-1, York 6-0-1.