Clippers, Lions go to the wire
Cumberland edges Lincoln in diamond thriller
LINCOLN – Given the fact Lincoln High entered its (usual) annual clash opposite natural archrival Cumberland on Tuesday evening with a hardly-stunning 0-5 record, head coach (and alum) Alyssa McCoart figured it was just a matter of time before her Lions broke through with a victory.
It appeared that moment would occur at its Saylesville Elementary School’s Sullivan Field home when McCoart’s crew jumped out to a 3-0 cushion in the bottom of the third. It nevertheless yielded four unanswered runs down the stretch and eventually dropped a 4-3 Division I nail-biter.
In the end, the Clippers manufactured an unearned run in the top of the sixth to break a 3-3 stalemate and steal the win. During that frame, sophomore (and eventual winning hurler) Abbie Vallely reached on an errant infield throw as the leadoff batter, and junior Caitlyn Oliveira’s sacrifice bunt moved her to second.
Sophomore Abby LaRose groundout to third advanced her, and classmate Olivia Badeau beat out an infield hit up the middle to plate her with the clincher.
The Lions, though, seemed destined to at least knot it in the back half of the seventh when seniors Brooke Fetters and Grace Swanson lacked back-toback singles. Still with no one out, sophomore Amanda Conti crushed a liner to CHS second baseman Morgan Poli, who nabbed it and immediately threw to first to catch Swanson off the bag.
That’s when junior Molly Thibaudeau stroked a base hit to left-center, and it looked as if Swanson would reach the plate to tie it up.
Senior quad-captain/center fielder Hannah LaRose, however, threw a laser to the plate, gunning her down when Oliveira applied the tag.
“It’s typical Cumberland-Lincoln; no matter what the records are, you can throw everything out,” stated CHS veteran skipper Marty Crowley, whose squad upped its league mark to 3-4. “I’ve been a part of these games for so long, and our kids just relish the challenge.
“We got down three early, and our kids fought like heck to come back and tie it. I’m very proud of their effort here. We had a great collective attitude, and we played well.”
Noted McCoart, whose contingent fell to 0-6: “When I got them into left for our usual post-game talk, I told them I was proud of them, but they always know that. I always say that regardless of the result. We’re a building program, but
from inning one to inning seven, not one girl gave up. The energy level was unbelievable, and I thought they fed off that positive energy.
“This is tough, yes, but we’re going right back to work.”
Swanson paced the Lions at the plate, going 4- for4 with a double and a run scored, while Fetters went 2- for- 4 with a run; Thibaudeau 2- for- 4; and junior Emily Kennedy 2- for3.
The southpaw Thibaudeau accepted the loss, despite yielding only seven hits, four runs (three earned) and a pair of walks while fanning five.
As for the righty Vallely, she too went a full seven, allowing nine hits and a pair of passes with four strikeouts. Of the three runs she scattered, all were unearned.
In Lincoln’s half of the third, with two down no less, Fetters roped a hit to right and Swanson one to center before Conti whacked a flyball to center, which happened to clip LaRose’s glove.
That miscue allowed Fetters to score, and Swanson to hustle into third.
Conti immediately robbed second, and Thibaudeau smoked a ground single to left to plate both.
Cumberland didn’t need long to respond, though. Poli led off the top of the fourth with a double to deep right, and senior Racheal Khimatian pounded one of her own to the same spot to slice it to 3-1. Thibaudeau stroke Hannah LaRose with a pitch, and Kirsten Mahalaris beat out an infield hit to fill the bags.
Vallely’s sacrifice fly to center plated pinch runner Ashley Hartsfield, and Badeau’s two-out single to left scored LaRose to knot it.