Beavers Hold Off Bears in Softball Thriller

By Cody Rose

The Union City Lady Bears softball team was back in action on Monday afternoon as they traveled to Corry to take on the Lady Beavers in a non-region game.

Alissa Leech led off the game with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Cheyenne Cummings to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. The Beavers then came up to bat as Payton McCray led off with a double and later scored on an error to tie the game at one after one inning of play.

The Beavers would add another run in the second as Kendyll Chamberlin would lead off the inning by reaching on an error and later score on another error, as the Beavers would take a 2-1 lead into the third.

After a scoreless third inning, Maddie Swan would tie the game in the top of the fourth with a home run to center field. The Beavers would respond however in the bottom half of the inning as Mahra Goodwill led off with a double and later scored on an error as the Beavers would retake the lead. The Beavers would add to their lead later in the inning as Alison Yetzer would reach base on an error and score on an RBI from Miley Gwin to give the Beavers a 4-2 lead through four.

Alyssa Tingley led off the fifth for the Bears with a single. Alissa Leech would bring Tingley home with a single of her own to bring the Bears back within a run trailing 4-3. Jazlyn Bridgham led off the bottom half of the fifth for the Beavers with a double and later scored on another error as the Beavers would take a 5-3 lead into the sixth.

Grace Chapman got aboard with a double with one out in the top of the sixth. Desirae Brown would come up one batter later and bring Chapman home with an RBI single to pull the Bears back within one trailing 5-4.

The Beavers would have an opportunity to extend their lead in the bottom half of the sixth with a runner in scoring position at second. Bears shortstop Cheyenne Cummings would take away a hit with a diving catch for the third out to end the inning to keep it a one run game going into the seventh.

The Bears would come up to the plate in the seventh needing a run to extend the game. The Bears would get the tying run aboard as Alissa Leech would reach on an error with one out in the inning. Alivia Zielinski would get Leech into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Leech would then get to third on a wild pitch as Cheyenne Cummings would reach on a walk. That would bring up Maddie Swan to the plate with runners on the corners and two outs in the inning. Swan, who earlier in the game hit her second home run of the season would groundout to the third baseman as the Bears would strand the tying run at third, as the Beavers would hold on to defeat the Bears 5-4.

The win improves the Beavers to 5-3 on the season with their fourth straight win, while the Bears fall to 4-2 snapping their four-game winning streak.

The Lady Bears will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon as they host the Youngsville Eagles in a region game.

Game stats:

Union City:

Batting:

CF Alissa Leech – 2/4 two singles, ROE, run, RBI

2B Alivia Zielinski – 0/1

SS Cheyenne Cummings – 0/2 walk, RBI

3B Maddie Swan – 1/4 HR, run, RBI

C Grace Chapman – 2/3 single, double

PR Ellie Chapman – run

LF Shaelynn Kent – 0/2

PH Desirae Brown – 1/1 single, RBI

PR Josie McQueen

RF Danica Williamson – 0/3 ROE

1B Alyssa Tingley – 1/3 single, run

P Kaegann Gregor – 0/3

Pitching:

P Kaegann Gregor – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 5 K, 0 BB, 5 R, 0 ER

Corry:

Batting:

P/1B Payton McCray – 1/3 double, run

RF Jazlyn Bridgham – 1/3 double, run

SS Allison Sawyer – 0/3 two ROE

1B/P Sadye Dyne – 0/3

CF Mahra Goodwill – 1/3 double, run

3B Kendyll Chamberlin – 0/3 ROE, run

C Alison Yetzer – 0/3 two ROE, run

LF Miley Gwin – 0/3 RBI

2B Sydney Mineo – 1/3 single, ROE

Pitching:

SP Payton McCray – 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 K, 0 BB, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR

RP Sadye Dyne – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 K, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

               1 2 3 4 5 6 7  R H E

Union City 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 4 7 7
Corry 1 1 0 2 1 0 x 5 4 4