Lady Rams stay hot against Falcons

Riverdale shortstop Tiffany Wright makes a throw to first base during the Falcons game against Upper Sandusky on Friday.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — Upper Sandusky’s bats are on fire.
The Rams followed up an 18-run performance against Ontario with a 19-7 victory at Riverdale on Friday.
Upper Sandusky scored 10 times in the first inning and six more times in the second inning and twice in the fourth inning while building an 18-0 lead. The Rams (6-4, 3-0 North Central Conference) finished with 14 hits one game after pounding out 17 against the Warriors.
“Our last two games have been amazing,” Upper Sandusky coach David Young said. “Our offense has worked for us. It’s just coming from a lot of hard work from a lot of reps in practice. They’re actually listening and learning now and realizing what we’re teaching is working and it’s helping a lot. Everybody’s confidence is just above and beyond right now.”
Although Riverdale (2-6, 0-2 NCC) came close to avoiding its five-inning run-rule fate, the game basically was over when the Rams sent 15 hitters to the plate in the first inning.
Twelve of the first 13 batters reached base, including the first eight. Upper Sandusky finished the inning with eight hits, two walks and one hit batter.
The Falcons did not help starting pitching Jordan Fleming (1-1). They had one error and missed on a couple of other chances to make defensive plays. They finished with six errors in the game.
“That first inning killed us,” Riverdale coach Luke Swavel said. “We got a couple balls where they were hard hit, but we looked at the book and we probably should have been out of that inning down 4-0 maybe. That changes culture of that game, just the whole rest of the game’s outlook. Fleming probably still pitches and we don’t have to go to Jordyn Wright, but it is what it is.”
Upper Sandusky batted around again in the second inning, coming up one hitter shy of making it through its lineup three times in the first two innings.
“We just got a jump on them and their heads dropped a little from getting down so far,” Young said. “We just kept pounding at them and we just have got to remember to go for the killer. We’ve got to finish.”
Riverdale did battle back, returning the favor by sending 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning and scoring five times.
Trailing 19-5 going to the bottom of the fifth inning, the Falcons scored twice and nearly were able to keep the game going. Needing three more runs, they had the bases loaded with one out before the Rams were able to get out of the jam.
“I was proud the girls to stay with it and put the bat on the ball,” Swavel said. “They had some control issues and we took advantage of that, kind of how they took advantage of us with our control issues. We’ve been hitting the ball. Outside of one game, we’ve been hitting the ball. I’m glad that’s continuing.”
No. 9 hitter Amber Beltz led the Falcons offensively with three singles in three at-bats. She scored once. Tiffany Wright singled, walked and drove in three runs.
Brigitte Snow had two triples among three this with four RBIs for the Rams. She also scored three times.
Teahl Rice singled three times, scored twice and drove in two runs, while Savannah Piecha singled twice, stole four bases, scored four times and had two RBIs. Tiffany Towns singled, doubled, scored twice and drove in three runs.
Allie Smith (6-4) picked up the win.
Riverdale hosts Colonel Crawford at 4:30 p.m. Monday, while Upper Sandusky travels to Lucas for a game at 5 p.m.
———
US    (10)60    21        — 19 14 1
R    000    52        — 7 7 6
WP: Smith (6-4); Fleming (1-1).
2B: Towns (US).
3B: Snow (US) 2, Taylor (US).

By LONNIE McMILLAN
Times news bureau

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Posted by Kenton Times on April 13, 2012. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry