Softball Colonels pull together and knock off Jefferson

April 5, 2011

By Mark Sawyer
Special to The Winchester Star       

With the score tied 4-4 and the Colonels batting in the top of the seventh inning, the skies opened and forced the game to be called, resulting in it being declared a tie.

In Monday's rematch the weather could not have been more perfect, but Wood still took no chances and made sure Mother Nature wouldn't effect the outcome.

The Colonels broke a 2-2 tie by exploding for six unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth, and they held off the Cougars for an 8-4 non-district home victory.

Jefferson committed eight errors, and all of James Wood's runs were unearned.

It was Colonels' fourth win of the season, which already eclipses their win total from each of the last two seasons (three). "We're together as a team, there's no fighting and everyone gets along great," James Wood coach Ted McDaniel said. "This is the true definition of a team. We've beat some good teams, and that's very impressive.

"We're hitting the ball a lot better, scoring a lot more runs. We're making the plays we didn't make last year, we're getting hits at key times, we're doing all the things that a team has to do to win. This is my 11th year coaching and this is the easiest team to coach. I can't say enough good things about them."

James Wood (4-1-1) batted around in the fifth inning, scoring the decisive six runs on just two hits.

With one out, Charlotte Viands walked to start the rally. Rachael Largent then dropped down a bunt that Jefferson catcher Shepherd picked up and threw into right field, allowing Viands to score the go-ahead run and Largent to make it to third.

Sara Hoover then hit a ground ball to second, and the throw home was wild, allowing Largent to score and putting Hoover at second. Freshman Kierstyn Peacoe then dropped down a bunt single and stole second, putting two more runners in scoring position.

An RBI single by Amanda Higgins and a perfect squeeze bunt by Megan Christian (her second of the game) gave the Colonels a 6-2 lead. Christian was safe at first when the Cougars failed to get Peacoe at the plate, setting up the strangest play of the inning.

Still with just one out, hitter Morgan Sykes (already with two hits in the game) stepped to the plate and struck out. But on the third strike Sykes alertly took off for first, and though Shepherd claimed she caught the third strike, she proceeded with that play and threw the ball to first. Her throw was again high and wound up in the right field corner, allowing both Higgins and Christian to score, making it 8-2.

The Colonels took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Christian's first squeeze bunt (again she was safe at first) and an RBI single by Sykes.

Sykes, a junior and a member of the previous two James Wood teams that won only three games, echoes McDaniel's thoughts about the team's early success.

"It's a much better attitude. Everyone respects each other, we respect the coach, and we play as a team," Sykes said. "We're all for one, and it's such a better atmosphere at practice and at games. It's very exciting. I love coming to games. We're proud of what we do."

Although the Colonels weren't charged with an error in the game, Jefferson (3-2-1) got some help scoring its two runs.

With one out and runners on second and third in the third inning, Jefferson's Alexandria Witt lifted a foul ball near the Colonels dugout that Viands caught just in front of the fence. But with everyone chasing the ball, the Colonels left no one covering the plate, allowing Shepherd to practically walk home.

Cleanup hitter Desire Miller followed that with a fly ball to the outfield that probably should have been caught for the third out but instead dropped in for an RBI double, tying the score 2-2.

"Last year we would have been hanging our heads," McDaniel said of the two runs. "This year we pick it up and play hard. When we make a mistake, we just pull together and nobody points fingers."

The Cougars rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh inning, but the pitcher Peacoe and the Colonels' defense closed the door.

Sykes and Higgins led the Colonels with two hits and an RBI apiece. Higgins scored two runs, and Christian drove in two.

Jefferson was led by Lauren Lewis, who had two hits and two RBIs. Shannon Lyons and Shepherd each had two hits and scored twice.