05-12-2011, 07:26 PM
Male's Alison Conrad won a pitchers' duel with Butler's Baleigh Bell, thanks to Taylor Messex's RBI single in the top of the 11th inning that gave the Lady Bulldogs a 2-1 victory Wednesday night at Shively Park.
"It was a typical late-season prep game (for the upcoming district tournaments)," Male coach John Hammond said after his team -- No. 7 in the state coaches' poll -- tied it in the seventh and won in the fourth extra inning. "It was a great matchup."
The game went to the international tiebreaker in the 10th, with each team placing a runner on second base to start the inning. Male (17-5) put Alison Kamber on second to open the 11th. She moved to third on Samantha Foust's groundout to Bell, then Messex, who had been 0for 4, singled past diving shortstop Kelsey Hicks.
"Their shortstop was playing well and I thought she could get it and throw me out, so I kept running to beat it out," Messex said.
Kamber had confidence Messex would deliver.
"She's one of the best hitters on our team," Kamber said. "She's wonderful."
Both Conrad and Bell pitched complete games. Conrad allowed six hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter. Bell, who had a no-hitter until Kelsey McDowell singled in the fifth, gave up six hits, walked two and struck out seven.
"I hit one batter, the first one I've hit this year," Conrad said. "Our team pulled together to get this great win. Our shortstop, Katie Watson, played a great game. They kept hitting the ball to her." (Watson had eight putouts, six in the first four innings.)
Male's Madi Phillips, who began the 10th on second base, was thrown out between third and home after a throwing error to first on McDowell's bunt.
Butler (18-10) started the 10th with Gretchen Bell on second. With one out, her sister Baleigh bunted down the first-base line. The throw to first went past the bag, but the umpire ruled interference because Baleigh Bell ran inside the baseline.
Butler assistant coach Billy Bell -- the sisters' father -- argued that there was no contact on the play and was ejected.
"We scored on the play, but the runner (Gretchen Bell) had to go back to third," Butler coach Brittany Braun said. "It's always frustrating to lose."
Butler took a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Abby Ziegler singled, was sacrificed to second and took third on Mallory Evans' single off Conrad's glove. When Evans tried to steal second, Phillips -- Male's catcher -- threw the ball into short center field, allowing Ziegler to score.
Male tied it in the seventh after Jessica Wireman beat out a bunt, then ran to third when Watson bunted and was thrown out at first. Phillips singled home Wireman. One out later, McDowell and Alex Ginter singled, but Phillips was tagged out between third and home.
http://www.highschoolsports.net/local/lo...e-in-11th/
"It was a typical late-season prep game (for the upcoming district tournaments)," Male coach John Hammond said after his team -- No. 7 in the state coaches' poll -- tied it in the seventh and won in the fourth extra inning. "It was a great matchup."
The game went to the international tiebreaker in the 10th, with each team placing a runner on second base to start the inning. Male (17-5) put Alison Kamber on second to open the 11th. She moved to third on Samantha Foust's groundout to Bell, then Messex, who had been 0for 4, singled past diving shortstop Kelsey Hicks.
"Their shortstop was playing well and I thought she could get it and throw me out, so I kept running to beat it out," Messex said.
Kamber had confidence Messex would deliver.
"She's one of the best hitters on our team," Kamber said. "She's wonderful."
Both Conrad and Bell pitched complete games. Conrad allowed six hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter. Bell, who had a no-hitter until Kelsey McDowell singled in the fifth, gave up six hits, walked two and struck out seven.
"I hit one batter, the first one I've hit this year," Conrad said. "Our team pulled together to get this great win. Our shortstop, Katie Watson, played a great game. They kept hitting the ball to her." (Watson had eight putouts, six in the first four innings.)
Male's Madi Phillips, who began the 10th on second base, was thrown out between third and home after a throwing error to first on McDowell's bunt.
Butler (18-10) started the 10th with Gretchen Bell on second. With one out, her sister Baleigh bunted down the first-base line. The throw to first went past the bag, but the umpire ruled interference because Baleigh Bell ran inside the baseline.
Butler assistant coach Billy Bell -- the sisters' father -- argued that there was no contact on the play and was ejected.
"We scored on the play, but the runner (Gretchen Bell) had to go back to third," Butler coach Brittany Braun said. "It's always frustrating to lose."
Butler took a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Abby Ziegler singled, was sacrificed to second and took third on Mallory Evans' single off Conrad's glove. When Evans tried to steal second, Phillips -- Male's catcher -- threw the ball into short center field, allowing Ziegler to score.
Male tied it in the seventh after Jessica Wireman beat out a bunt, then ran to third when Watson bunted and was thrown out at first. Phillips singled home Wireman. One out later, McDowell and Alex Ginter singled, but Phillips was tagged out between third and home.
http://www.highschoolsports.net/local/lo...e-in-11th/