Friday Flashback: VW run rules Elida

Note: The latest Friday Flashback takes us back to May of 2013, when Van Wert advanced to the Division II softball sectional finals with an 11-run win over Elida. Below is the story that appeared on the VW independent Sports page.

Van Wert softball news

LIMA — The Van Wert Lady Cougars came out swinging and capitalized on errors to rack up 10 runs in the first inning against the Elida Lady Bulldogs in the first game of the Division II sectional tournament held at Lima Bath Saturday morning.

Van Wert went on to win 20-9.

The Cougars sent 13 batters to the plate in the first inning, with Brittany Bigham’s first home run over the leftfield fence bringing in Melissa Roop, who got on base via a walk, for the first two runs of the inning. Maggie Allmandinger hit a nice double to centerfield, while a couple of Elida errors allowed Claire White and pitcher Jessica Klausing on base, followed by an Emily Baer single.

Sydney Dull walked, but was out at second on a fielder’s choice. Slap hitter Hannah Hulbert hit a liner over third base, followed by a slap hit on the ground toward first by Roop in her second at-bat of the inning. The runs were rolling in, with a total of seven at that time.

Hulbert and Roop were standing on base when Bigham hit her second home run over the center field fence to bring in three more runs. Van Wert now had 10 runs and a total of five RBI for Bigham after the top of the first inning.

Elida didn’t give up and came back with five runs in the bottom of the first. The first two batters reached base on errors. A single loaded bases and a walk brought in the first run.  A fielder’s choice to shortstop Tiffany Ricketts was called as the first out, due to interference when the runner on second tried to advance to third base and collided with Ricketts while she was fielding the ball.

Another single loaded the bases and all three runners scored on a double by Elida. The inning ended with the score 10-5 Van Wert.  Both coaches brought in relief pitchers in the first inning. Elida’s relief pitcher remained in the rest of the game, while Van Wert’s starting pitcher, Klausing, returned midway in the second inning.

Claire White led off the second inning with a single to left center, while Brooke Brown hit a very long fly ball to the leftfielder, who made a nice running catch for the first out of the inning.  Bair reached first on an error, while White scored. Sydney Dull walked, and then Saige Royer dropped hit a Texas Leaguer into the hole behind second base earning two RBI. Bigham walked and a fielder’s choice gave Van Wert its 13th run.

Elida answered back with two additional runs on a double, two singles, and a walk and the score at the end of two innings was 13-7, Van Wert.

Despite three strikeouts in the third inning for the Elida relief pitcher, the Lady Bulldogs could not stop the Van Wert bats. Klausing started off with a hard line drive that popped out of the Elida second baseman’s glove and left Klausing safe at first. Bair then singled and Royer hit a double deep into left center for a few more RBI.  Hulbert beat out a slap hit that scored Royer and Van Wert then held Elida to make the score 17-7 at the end of three innings.

The fourth inning is the only inning in which the Cougars did not score, while Elida added two runs on two hits and two errors to make the score 17-9 at the end of four.

Van Wert managed a few security runs in the fifth.  Bair singled, Dull got on base on a fielder’s choice and an error allowed Royer to get on first.  Amanda Coplin went in as relief runner for Royer and Dull then scored on an overthrow.

Bigham added a stand-up double, bringing in Coplin and Hulbert and adding a total of three more Cougar runs for the inning. The Lady Cougars did not allow Elida to score. After first batter Bulldog batter got on base on an error, a fielder’s choice flipped from Lisa Roop at second base to Ricketts at shortstop got the lead runner. A single left runners on first and second and Maggie Allmandinger then caught a fly ball to left field for out No. 2. The final out was made when Roop caught a pop up at second base.

The game ended after five innings as Van Wert run ruled Elida 20-9. Klausing was the winning pitcher.

The Lady Cougars will face top seeded Lima Bath at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, in a sectional finals game at Bath.