By: Daniel Cooley
ARCHBOLD – Swanton held a 3-0 lead on Archbold going into the bottom of the fifth inning. However, Archbold rallied to tie the game at 3-3, by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Undaunted, Swanton came right back to take a 6-3 lead, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning and scored three more in the seventh inning to claim a 9-3 win.
In the sixth inning, Miranda Yeager scored on a throwing error while Taylor Forrest hit an RBI single and Lyla Carrizales also hit an RBI single, to take the 6-3 lead.
“When Archbold tied it, I pulled (the team) in and told them to keep bringing it to them and the girls responded,” said Swanton coach Lauren Yoder.
“We didn’t let (the tie) get to us and we didn’t quit. Offensively and defensively, we played steady the whole game.”
Swanton pitcher Forrest set Archbold down in order in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Swanton offense responded by scoring three more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Yeager again scored on a throwing error, while Alexa Faber had an RBI single and Carrizales hit a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 9-3.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Forrest surrendered a one out walk, but then retired the final two batters on a strikeout and a groundout.
Forrest picked up the complete game win, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out nine and walking three. She also pitched out of a couple of jams.
Archbold put runners at second and third with two outs in the second inning, but one runner was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning.
Then, the Lady Streaks put runners at second and third with one out in the third inning. But an infield popout and a fly ball out to the Swanton right fielder, ended the threat.
“I didn’t get flustered at all by the threats,” Forrest said. “I love pressure and my fastball and rise ball were working today.”
In the meantime, Swanton had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning, on Forrest’s home run. The Bulldogs then took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, on a two RBI double by Carrizales.
Archbold then rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning. With two outs, Natalie Nofziger belted a triple and then scored on a wild pitch.
After one batter was hit by a pitch and the next batter walked, both runners then moved to second and third with stolen bases.
That brought up Ella Bowman, who knocked in both runs with a single.
For Swanton, Forrest had three hits, two singles and the home run, along with two RBIs. In her fourth trip to the plate, Forrest was intentionally walked.
“I’ve faced (losing pitcher) Nofziger several times before in travel ball and was able to hit her,” Forrest said.
“In the go ahead run that I knocked in, I had two strikes on me but followed the pattern of her pitches and got the pitch I was looking for.”
Carrizales hit a double and a single and led Swanton with four RBIs.
“I had trouble with (Nofziger’s) changeup, but I looked for her fastball and was able to come through with hits against that pitch.”
In addition to Forrest and Carrizales, Faber added three singles. Archbold losing pitcher Nofziger allowed nine runs on nine hits, while striking out eight and walking two.
It’s been a stellar year for Swanton thus far, with a win over Wauseon for the first time since 2011 and the rare win over Archbold.
“I’m a first-year coach here at Swanton, so I asked several people when the last time Swanton had beaten Archbold and no one knew,” Yoder said.
SWANTON 010 203 3 – 9 9 2
ARCHBOLD 000 030 0 – 3 3 2
Records: Swanton 7-5 (3-1 NWOAL), Archbold 7-6 (1-2 NWOAL)
WINNING PITCHER: Forrest (7 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned, 9 strikeouts, 4 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Nofziger (7 innings, 9 hits, 9 runs, 8 earned, 8 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Swanton) Faber – 3 singles, RBI; Forrest – home run, 2 singles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Carrizales – double, single, 4 RBIs; (Archbold) Nofziger – triple; Bowman – single, 2 RBIs
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com