Pacific erased a deficit with a big sixth inning to notch a Four Rivers Conference softball win Thursday at St. Clair High School.
Trailing 5-0, the Lady Indians (6-7, 3-2) scored seven runs in the sixth inning and held on for a 7-5 victory.
“I told the girls if we come out flat that St. Clair could beat us. They did for the first five innings. Luckily, softball is a seven-inning game. I give St. Clair a lot of credit. They hit the ball with authority,” said Pacific Head Coach Traci Dewert. “Coming back from a 5-0 deficit shows how much determination our team really has. The girls need to not be content with just showing up to the game.”
St. Clair (10-5, 3-3) scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, one in the third and two in the fourth.
“We played a great first five innings, but fell apart in the last two. We have to learn to finish games. We are not there yet, but we have come a long way so far this year,” said St. Clair Head Coach Rob Hauck. “Give Pacific credit for not giving up and continuing to battle back.”
Pacific used three pitchers in the game.
Meagan Wakefield pitched the first 2.2 innings, allowing three runs. Amber Zurliene worked 2.1 frames to earn the win, allowing two runs. Marissa Tate pitched two scoreless innings to nail down the win.
Anna Reed pitched all seven innings for St. Clair.
Lizzy Almo, Kelsey Inman and Mary McDaniel each collected two hits for Pacific. Almo also walked twice and scored a run. McDaniel and Inman both added two RBIs and one run.
McDaniel had a two-run single to tie the game in the sixth inning and Inman followed with a two-run double to give the Lady Indians the lead for good.
Madison LeClaire, Wakefield, Zurliene and Tate each finished with one hit. Claire Schulte walked and scored.
Alicia York led St. Clair with three hits and two RBIs.
Karissa Hoffman and Reed both added two hits. Reed added two RBIs. Hoffman scored two runs.
Claire Schulte walked and was hit by a pitch, scoring one run. Sarah Hinson and Keighlee Grable both drew a walk.
Pacific-St. James
Pacific won Tuesday at home over St. James in six innings, 10-0.
Leading 1-0, the Lady Indians broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and five in the sixth.
“We scored in the first inning and then went flat. Our defense kept us in the game with the girls making some great stops both infield and outfield,” Dewert said. “Jenny (Meitz) and I are proud of how the girls didn’t give up. I give St. James a lot of credit. They have really improved.”
Wakefield pitched the first five innings for the win. She allowed no runs on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Zurliene tossed a scoreless inning in relief, allowing no hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Tiffani Castelli, McDaniel and Wakefield (one double) each had two hits for Pacific. McDaniel and Castelli also walked and scored two runs. Wakefield scored two runs.
Emily Copeland (triple), Almo (triple) and Inman (double) each added one hit. Almo also walked and scored three runs. Copeland had two RBIs. Inman also drew a walk.
Pacific won Wednesday at Lutheran South, 11-3.
“The girls had an awesome game. They came to play offensively and defensively,” Dewert said. “We hit the ball with a purpose. Our infield has been great all season making some unbelievable plays.”
Tate pitched all seven innings for the win. She allowed three runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts. She also belted a home run, finishing with three hits, two RBIs and two runs.
Inman was 4-4 at the plate with two triples, two RBIs and two runs.
Almo (two doubles) and McDaniel both collected three hits. Almo scored three runs. McDaniel had two RBIs and two runs.
LeClaire registered two hits and two RBIs. Zurliene had one hit.
Pacific lost 6-4 Monday to Rockwood Summit.
Tate pitched all seven innings for Pacific.
LeClaire belted a home run for Pacific, finishing with two hits, one walk, two RBIs and one run. Inman (one double) also collected two hits to go with one RBI and one run.
St. Clair-New Haven
St. Clair won Tuesday at New Haven, 11-3.
“We started out aggressive and hit the ball really hard,” Hauck said. “They helped us out and gave us a few extra base runners, which we were able to capitalize on.”
Reed pitched four innings for the win. She allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Tori Martin tossed three scoreless innings. She allowed one hit and four walks while striking out three.
St. Clair had 18 hits, three apiece by Nicole Nardi, Marissa Laubinger (two doubles), York (one triple) and Reed (one double). Reed scored three runs and had two RBIs. Nardi scored two runs. York added two RBIs. Laubinger also drew two walks.
Hoffman and Martin both had two hits and two runs. Stevenson and Stephanie Stradford both added one hit.
Kierstin Monzyk, four innings, and Stephanie Scheer, three innings, pitched for New Haven.
Meagan Ley, Blair Bowers and Monzyk each had two hits. Tenille Duessler had one hit.
