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Having already defeated Concord twice in the regular season, the Warsaw softball team looked for an all-important third victory over the Lady Minutemen as the two teams met at Northridge High School to begin sectional play on Memorial Day. The game was close and well-played for six innings, but it was a five-run seventh by Concord that put green and white in front for good as they ended the Lady Tiger season with a 6-1 win.
Starter Leah Stafford had her work cut out for her in getting three outs in the top of the first, but she was able to do so while also putting up a zero on the scoreboard. The Lady Minutemen began the game with a pair of singles, but after a nice play by Addison Eastwood at third base cut one of those runners down, a pair of flyouts generated by the Lady Tiger hurler ended the threat.
On the other side of things, Warsaw also put the leadoff hitter on as Raegan Robinson singled to begin the frame. However, like their opponent, things flamed out from there as the game remained scoreless after one.
The second inning was over in the flash, as both pitchers were able to pitch to some weak contact en route to 1-2-3 innings for both Stafford as well as Concord pitcher Taelynn McKinney.
In the top of the third, Stafford was once again able to get out of a tough jam. An infield error put the leadoff hitter on for the Lady Minutemen, which was followed up by a single and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position with just one out. However, the freshman was able to get a couple of pop ups to end the threat and keep things tied.The zeroes continued to stack up on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the frame, as the Lady Tigers went down in order for the second straight inning.
A two-out rally in the top of the fourth allowed Concord to finally break through and score the first run of the game. Following a single by Rheagan Stafford, Shelby Emerick took the plate and made some good contact into right-center field. Addy Sainer covered a lot of ground from center to try and field the ball and end the inning, but it tipped her glove and fell out of reach. The run scored to break the deadlock and put the Lady Minutemen on top.
After Warsaw’s third straight inning without a baserunner, it looked as if the visitors were going to add on to their lead in the top of the fifth. A leadoff double for Kendall Hodge spelled trouble, but Stafford was able to get the next three hitters out to send things back to her bats. The final out of the inning was especially impressive, as Robinson made a diving stop at short to rob a hit before flipping the ball over to Eastwood at third to tag Hodge out.
The great play seemed to put some juice back into the Warsaw bats, as Stafford helped out her own cause by lining a ball just over the first baseman’s glove and into right field to begin the bottom of the fifth. She ended up on third with a triple, and scored a batter later as Ema Denney got the job done with a groundout to short to tie things up.
Warsaw freshman Leah Stafford hits a triple during the fifth inning...Nieter
After Stafford pitched around a two-out single to get out of the top of the sixth, Ellyse Walters led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to put the home team in business. She stole second, and ended up on third after a throw to first on a dropped third strike. She’d end the inning there though, as a groundout for the third and final out of the inning sent things over to the seventh still tied.
With both offenses having been held in check for six innings, the top of the seventh saw Concord explode. Three of the first four batters in the inning singled, loading the bases with one out. This brought up Serina Masuth, who played the hero by lasering a ball past Robinson at short and into the outfield for a bases clearing double. With three runs having come in already, the Lady Minutemen were able to add a couple more on RBI singles from both Rheagan Stafford and Emerick.
Now, the Lady Tigers were all of a sudden down to their final three outs. Fighting for their playoff lives, the home side was able to load the bases thanks to singles by both Stafford and Emma Keyes, as well as a walk to Lacy Cotterman. However, the rally ended there, as the Lady Minutemen finished off the victory by catching a fly ball in center field to break the Lady Tigers hearts.
