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Tigers rally for sweep in home opener
2/18/2009
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
First-year Tiger softball coach Julie LeMaire had already seen her team rally for victories this young season.
So, she knew the Tigers could do it again in Tuesday's home opener.
The Fort Hays State University softball team swept Bethany College at Tiger Stadium, winning the opener 4-1 then rallying for a wild 10-9 victory in Game 2.
"We are a fighting team," LeMaire said. "We will fight to the end, that's for sure.
"Plenty of opportunities to do that, that's for sure," she added.
Fort Hays (8-4) trailed Bethany 9-4 through five innings in Game 2.
The Tigers got one run back in the sixth, and had the bases loaded in the inning with two outs, only to have senior third baseman Hallie McMillen line out to center field to end the threat.
Fort Hays had the tying run at the plate again in the seventh, and this time the Tigers sent the game into extra innings.
Fort Hays actually had a chance to win it in the seventh, scoring four times to tie it and had runners on first and third with one out.
Sophomore Erin Kinsey grounded out to second for the second out, and the Swedes turned the double play when the runner from third broke for home and was thrown out to end the inning.
The Tigers hit five straight singles after one out in the seventh to get the big inning started.
"What we're trying to tell them is put the ball in play, put it in play hard," LeMaire said.
A hard wind blowing from right field to left field might have helped the Tigers score the winning run in the eighth.
McMillen led off with a line drive to right field that started to sink against the wind. The ball got past the outfielder and by the time the relay got back to the infield, McMillen was on third with a triple. Freshman catcher Cortney Brown followed with a soft liner over the second baseman's head that dropped for a single to score McMillen with the winning run.
It was the Tigers' fourth come-from-behind win of the young season.
"The confidence is there," LeMaire said. "But today I was most curious it would (be) or not."
Kinsey (1-1) picked up the win in relief of junior starter Adrian Mohr, who gave up eight runs -- six earned -- on 11 hits in 31รขÑ3 innings.
"That wasn't her typical outing," LeMaire said of Mohr. "She usually isn't hit that hard."
Freshman Stephanie Tyler (0-1) took the loss in relief for Bethany (0-2), which was playing its season opener.
Sophomore center fielder Sara Tani had three hits with one run scored in the leadoff position.
McMillen, senior shortstop Alex Eaton, sophomore left fielder Chelsea Luther and sophomore designated hitter Savannah Hall all had two hits for the Tigers. Eaton had a triple, with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Luther scored two runs with one RBI. Hall scored twice.
Sophomore Kayla Rupa also drove in a run in Game 2. In the opener, Rupa was the winning pitcher. The Tiger left-hander pitched a complete game, losing her shutout in the seventh. Rupa (3-3) scattered six hits, with one walk and five strikeouts.
"She did pretty well," LeMaire said.
"I think you'll see (even) better out of Kayla."
Fort Hays got a run in the first when Tani led off with a double and scored on McMillen's two-out double. In the Tiger third, Rupa led off with a double and scored two batters later on freshman Lauren Duran's sacrifice fly.
The Tigers added to their lead with back-to-back homers by Brown and Eaton in the sixth off senior Breanna Boling (0-1).
While pleased with the sweep, LeMaire said the Tigers have played better.
"This is actually the worst I've seen us play this year," LeMaire said. "Our potential is much higher."
Still, a win is a win, whether it be a blowout or a nail-biter.
"I'm aging quickly," LeMaire joked. "They're making it fun."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |