By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
Locked in a pitcher’s duel in the sixth inning on Thursday, Teays Valley shortstop Alyssa Brown knew she had an opportunity to change the complexion of the Mid-State League Buckeye Division opener.
“I wasn’t satisfied with one of my at-bats earlier in the game and (Logan Elm pitcher Sadie Binkley) was doing a good job of mixing her pitches against us,” Brown said. “I went up to the plate in the sixth, washed what happened earlier in the game and told myself to hit a gap like I do before every time I have an at-bat.”
Brown launched a 2-2 offering over the left field fence to put the Vikings ahead and opened the flood gates for the defending league champions to score 12 runs in their final two at-bats to defeat the host Logan Elm Braves 13-3.
“I was getting pitched inside a lot during my first two at-bats, so I was looking for another inside pitch that I could turn on and hit with power, and that’s what I got,” Brown said. “Once we got the lead, I think everyone exhaled a little bit and we started stringing together some pretty good at-bats and hits.”
Teays Valley coach Derrick Hastler had a feeling of déjà vu from two nights prior when the Vikings exploded for nine runs in the sixth to run-rule Pickerington Central 11-0 on Tuesday in their season-opener.
“Obviously, we would like to get our bats going a little earlier in the game, but the girls are doing a nice job of communicating with each other, seeing what the other pitcher is throwing and they are making adjustments and looking for their pitch to hit,” he said. “When we have a couple of girls start to hit later in the game, it just seems to be contagious and everyone else starts to follow suit.”
Morgan Cantrell went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and run scored and Reagan Mengerink contributed a 2-for-5 evening with a two-run homer, double, three RBI and two runs scored to help pace the Vikings. Brown was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, two RBI and two runs scored, and Sydney Manring was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, double, four RBI and two runs scored.
Teays Valley and Logan Elm collectively mustered seven hits in the opening five innings that were dominated by Manring and Binkley combining to strike out 15 batters.
The Vikings changed that in the sixth when they sent 10 batters to the plate, produced four hits, had a batter hit and also took advantage of a pair of costly errors by the Braves.
With the score knotted at 1-1, Mengerink opened the sixth and reached on an error. Brown followed with her aforementioned two-run blast.
“Alyssa came through and delivered for us in a big moment to get us going,” Hastler said. “I know people are going to look at the score and see 13-3, but this was a pretty tight game for most of the way.”
Micah Mann reached on the second error of the inning and scored on a double to deep center by Aimee DeWeese to put the Vikings ahead 4-1.
Manring then helped her own cause by jumping on the first pitch she saw and belted a two-run shot over the center field fence for her first varsity home run.
“We were on a run there and I wanted to contribute and do my part,” Manring said. “I swung at some bad pitches earlier in the game, so when I saw a good pitch, I jumped on it and hit it out.”
Logan Elm tried to battle back in its half of the sixth when Jacie Clifton coaxed a walk and was joined on the base pads when Taylor Fowler reached on an infield single. Ryleigh Wolfe then knocked in both runners on a double to right field, cutting the Teays Valley lead to 6-3.
“I was proud of the fight that we played with in the first six innings against a very good team, especially battling back there when Teays Valley scored earlier in the sixth and being able to score a couple of runs,” Logan Elm coach Jeri Hartley said. “The game just got away from us there in the seventh.”
The Vikings countered by sending 11 more batters to the plate in the seventh, assembling six hits and scoring seven runs.
Brown led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on an infield single by Isabel Sayre. Brown then scored on an error. Manring followed with a two-run double to center that chased home both Sayre and DeWeese to put the Vikings ahead 9-3.
Doubles to left from Michelle Brumfield and to center courtesy of Cantrell knocked in Manring and Brumfield. Mengerink provided the final blow of the inning with a two-run homer over the center field fence.
Manring earned the win, yielding six hits and three runs (two earned) over a complete game effort. The sophomore right-hander walked a batter and struck out 11.
“I felt pretty good out there (in the circle) and our defense was solid behind me,” Manring said. “I was able to mix my pitches and threw some pretty good changeups and rise balls.”
Taylor Fowler went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Binkley was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Braves.
Both teams are slated to return to the diamond on Saturday for non-league action. Logan Elm (2-1, 0-1) hosts Unioto for a doubleheader and Teays Valley (2-0, 1-0) travels to the Groveport Invitational for a pair of games.
“We still have a few things that we need to clean up at the plate and in the circle, but I’m pretty pleased with the way our girls are competing and the execution we are getting at key times when you consider this was our second game of the season,” Hastler said.
Teays Valley 13, Logan Elm 3
Teays Valley 000 107 5 — 13 13 1
Logan Elm 100 002 0 —3 6 3
Manring and Mengerink; Binkley, Richendollar (7) and Otterbacher. HR — TV — Brown (sixth, one on), Manring (sixth, one on) and Mengerink (seventh, one on).
