The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Stockbridge Valley wins with sixth-inning rally
Stockbridge Valley scored 12 runs in its final turn at bat for a comeback victory over Brookfield.
MUNNSVILLE >> After committing eight errors in a loss to Brookfield on April 22, the Stockbridge Valley softball team had to wait 12 days for its next game, a rematch with the Beavers.
The Cougars avenged that loss, but it wasn’t as easy as the final score made it appear.
Coach Chris Peto’s squad entered the sixth inning trailing 6-3 but sent 18 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs to come awaywith a 15-8 victory on its home field.
Alaina Beane earned the win in the circle for Stockbridge Valley, striking out 11 Brookfield batters.
Cassie Head took the loss for the Beavers.
Beane struck out the first two batters she faced in the first inning before getting into trouble with a two-outwalk to Brianna Schermerhorn. An error on a pickoff throw sent Schermerhorn to second and another Cougars’ miscue brought her to the plate with the game’s first run. The Beavers loaded the bases but Beane ended the inning with a strikeout to limit the damage.
Brookfield’s lead didn’t last long. Stockbridge Valley loaded the bases with a hit batter, a walk and a single in the bottom of the first inning. Hayley Smith followed with a bunt single to score Kendra Webb and tie the score. Beane then grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Tiffani Jacobs and put the hosts ahead 2-1. Head retired the next two batters to keep it a one-run game.
Neither team scored over the next two innings before defen---
sive miscues cost the Cougars again in the top of the fourth. A hit batter and an error gave Brookfield two baserunners with one out. Jenna Bugbee brought home the tying run with a single and, with Schermerhorn batting, Head scored the go-ahead run on an errant throw on a stolen base. Schermerhorn added to the lead with an RBI single and, after another single and double-steal, Paige Jaquay singled home two more to give the visitors a 6-2 lead.
Stockbridge Valley got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame. Jordyn Sanford led off with an infield single and, with two outs, Jacobs singled to score her from third.
Beane retired the side in order in the next two innings before Stockbridge Valley rallied back in the bottom of the sixth. San- ford started another rally with a leadoff walk. A single and a hit batter loaded the bases for Jacobs and the All-State catcher singled to score two runs. Marshall followed with an RBI single to tie the score and, two batters later, Beane singled to bring home Jacobs with the go-ahead run.
The Cougars were far from done in the frame. Consecutive walks forced home another run before Sanford hit a two-run single. Webb added an RBI sin- gle two batters later before Jacobs plated another with a sacrifice fly. Marshall followed with a two-run single to extend the lead to 146. Haylee Eaton drewawalk with the bases loaded three batters later to score Marshall with the Cougars’ final run.
Brookfield scored twice in the top of the seventh but Beane sealed the victory when she got Head to ground out to Marshall at first with the game’s final out.