Colonels earn doubleheader split in softball

By Eric Jones - Ogden Newspapers

INWOOD, W.Va. -- When Musselman took an early six-run lead against James Wood in Game 2 of a doubleheader, Applemen coach Shannon DeMasi still couldn't relax.

She had just watched her team grab the lead, then implode in the final two innings en route to an eight-run loss in the opening game.

The Applemen followed suit in the second game, grabbing a big lead and letting the Colonels slowly chip away at the lead. However, the second time around was a much better outcome for Musselman as it held on for a 7-5 win to earn a split.

James Wood took the first game, 12-4.

For DeMasi, it was a nice recovery by her team after a disappointing loss.

"We went out and did what we had to do," DeMasi said. "We always have our game goals, and if we're able to meet at least one of those goals, and make one part of our game better, that's taking a step in the right direction. I think we did that today and definitely didn't take a step back."

One of the improvements in Game 2 was jumping on the opposition early, something the Applemen didn't do in the first game.

"We didn't wait until the third inning to start hitting the ball," DeMasi said.

Musselman certainly didn't, scoring all seven of its Game 2 runs in the first two innings.

With the game tied at 1-1, the Applemen (3-2) exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second inning, jumping ahead 7-1.

Tori Butler and Tia LeMaster reached on a single and error, respectively, to start the inning, and both eventually came around to score. Butler scored when the Colonels tried to throw a runner out at second, and LeMaster scored on a wild pitch by James Wood pitcher Anne Zerull to give the Applemen a 3-1.

Later in the inning, Whitney Potts drove in Bethany Jenkins with a long double that just missed clearing the fence. After Nikki Dusing's RBI flyout scored Andrea Barnes to give Musselman a 5-1 lead, Mackenzie Fogle added on two more runs with a blistering double to left, almost identical to Potts' double earlier in the inning.

"Right now, we're trying to figure where everyone fits," DeMasi said. "In the first game, we were hitting right at people. It's all about following through and finding gaps in the defense."

James Wood stepped up its defense and pitching, holding the Applemen scoreless over the final five innings as they cut into the deficit.

The Colonels scored a run in the fourth inning, two runs in the sixth inning and another run in the seventh. In the sixth inning, Megan Christian's two-RBI double cut the lead to 7-4, and in the seventh, Rachael Largent scored on an RBI groundout by Whitney Dick with the bases loaded, getting the lead to 7-5.

The Applemen ended things with a perfect 5-4-3 double play.

For Musselman, Potts, Butler and Alex Williams each had two hits, while Fogle had a hit and two RBI. James Wood was led by Christian with a hit and two RBIs.

Brittany Ingram got the win for Musselman.