By: Joe Blystone
SWANTON – Swanton jumped out to a five-run lead, withstood a Pettisville rally, then used a late inning two-run homer from Alexa Faber to ice the cake in a 9-6 win over the Blackbirds.
“We were a little concerned coming into this game because we had eight freshmen out of ten girls today because of spring break,” Bulldog coach Lauren Yoder said. “But those girls stepped up and got the job done.”
Swanton jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead when Faber golfed a run-scoring single to center then stole second.
Pettisville had a chance to get out of the inning giving up just that solitary run when Leanna Wilson lined to second with Faber caught way off the bag.
However, nary a Blackbird covered the bag for the relay throw in time for the third out and that lapse proved lethal.
Autumn Pelland bounced an RBI single through the left side and Ava Robasser followed with the same to make it 3-0.
Carli LaGrange followed with a single to center and when the ball went through for an error, a fourth Bulldog run scored.
Pettisville got one back in the second on Grace Hastings’ run scoring double into the right field corner but the Bulldogs countered when Faber bounced a base hit up the middle to make it 5-1 after two.
Olivia Miller’s triple starting the third, then Naomi Richer’s looping single cut into the Swanton lead but the Bulldogs scored twice in their half thanks to a bout of wildness from Blackbird hurler Macy Hoylman.
Pelland and Robasser each chalked up their second hit of the day to start the inning, then three wild pitches later, including one on a third strike where Kelsey Bennett had to throw the batter-runner out at first, pushed Swanton up 7-2.
“We were swinging the bat very well all day,” Yoder said of her team’s early output. “We talked about stayed aggressive and not taking too many strikes and I think they really did a good job with that tonight.”
It stayed that way until the sixth. Hastings second knock of the night opened the inning.
Ella Richer’s infield single put runners at first and second and Miller laced her second three-bagger into the right field corner to make it 7-4.
Naomi Richer’s third base hit marked Miller, then Ashlyn Lugbill laced a double into left center to chop the Swanton margin to 7-6.
Jenna Norman’s hit put runners at second and third before Faber got Stewart swinging for the first out of the inning.
Abbi Opdycke ripped a liner that shortstop Lyla Carrizales flagged down on the run and beat Newman back to the bag for an inning ending double-play that extinguished the rally.
“Lyla is rock solid at shortstop,” Yoder exclaimed. “She makes plays there, and we made timely plays all around.”
“We got a lot of strikeouts from Lex and she really is our second baseman but she stepped in and got the job done, we just stepped up when we needed to.”
Carrizales’ base hit in the bottom of the sixth preceded Faber’s rope that cleared the right center field fence to extend the Bulldog lead to 9-6.
Faber allowed 12 hits while striking out 10 Blackbirds to pick up the victory.
PETTISVILLE 011 004 0 – 6 11 3
SWANTON 412 002 x – 9 8 3
Records: Pettisville 1-3, Swanton 3-1
WINNING PITCHER: Faber (7 innings, 11 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned, 10 strikeouts, 5 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Hoylman (6 innings, 8 hits, 9 runs, 4 earned, 6 strikeouts, 4 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Pettisville) Miller – 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Richer – 3 singles, 2 RBIs; Lugbill – 2 singles; Hastings – double, single, RBI; (Swanton) Faber – home run, 2 singles, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Robasser – 2 singles, 2 runs
Joe can be reached at joe@thevillagereporter.com