NWOAL SOFTBALL … Swanton’s Jordyn Ramirez catches a throw from pitcher Taylor Forrest to get Bryan baserunner Teaghan Blad on a force play at third. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
SWANTON (MAY 4, 2023) – Bryan used “small ball” to manufacture a pair of runs in the fifth pull out a 2-1 at Swanton to secure an outright NWOAL title, their first outright championship in program history.
Starting pitchers Thea Staten (Bryan) and Taylor Forrest (Swanton) were dominant through the first four innings as neither club could generate a scoring threat until the fifth.
Kailee Thiel started the inning with a single to left before advancing to second base on a wild pitch and then to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mylie Vollmer.
Katelan Nagel would then bring home Bryan’s first run on a squeeze bunt as Thiel would beat the throw home to make it 1-0.
With Nagel now at third and two outs, Bryan catcher Ella Voigt reached base on a grounder to the right side to bring home Nagel and extend the lead to 2-0.
The Bulldogs would get a run back in their half of the fifth as Kyleigh Shinaver reached on an error and Jordyn Ramirez singled to put two runners aboard for Swanton.
A double steal put runners at second and third leading to a sacrifice by Carli LaGrange to score Shinaver and trim the lead to 2-1.
The potential game tying run though was erased at home later in the inning as Ramirez was cut down while trying to score from third on a wild pitch and Autumn Pelland would strikeout to end the frame.
Swanton put two more on base in the sixth inning, but Staten would retire Alexia Ostrander on a groundout to end the inning.
Swanton’s final at bat started with Shinaver drawing a walk but then she was thrown out by Voigt trying to steal second base for the first out of the inning.
Staten then recorded two strikeouts sandwiched around a single by LaGrange to close out the game.
The Bryan freshman racked up 12 strikeouts on the night to put her at 215 on the season.
Payton DeTray collected two singles for Swanton while Forrest took the loss in the circle allowing just two hits and striking out eight.
BRYAN 000 020 0 – 2 2 1
SWANTON 000 010 0 – 1 4 1
Records: Bryan 17-1 (7-0 NWOAL), Swanton 9-8 (5-2 NWOAL)
WINNING PITCHER: Staten (7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 earned, 12 strikeouts, 4 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Forrest (7 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 8 strikeouts, 1 walk)
LEADING HITTERS: (Bryan) – 2 singles; (Swanton) DeTray – 2 singles
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com
