By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
ASHVILLE — Sometimes simple is better.
And Teays Valley sophomore Alyvia Lawrentz proved that in the seventh inning on Wednesday with her walk-off double to drive in pinch-runner Kenzie Carte with the winning run in a 3-2 comeback win over visiting Logan Elm.
“We didn’t hit the ball tonight the way we can, so sometimes you have to simplify things and just try to do your job, and that’s what we did in the seventh,” she said. “My teammates set things up and I just went up to the plate, took a deep breath so I wouldn’t overthink the situation and looked for my pitch.”
A 22-game winning streak inside the Mid-State League Buckeye Division was on the line for the Vikings, who entered their final at-bat trailing the Braves 2-1.
Aimee DeWeese worked a four-pitch walk, stole second and then scored when Isabel Sayre doubled on a hard shot off the diving shortstop.
Lawrentz then hit an 0-1 offering to center for a double to bring around Carte with the winning run.
“We struggled making adjustments for most of the evening, but the girls finally did get the job done in the seventh, and it was our sixth, seventh and eighth hitters who came through in clutch situations,” said Teays Valley coach Derrick Hastler, who won his 100th game as coach. “Aimee did a nice job to earn a walk and then she used her speed to get around the bases. Isabel had a nice hit there and alertly took second on the play when the ball got away from the shortstop, which set up Alyvia to take advantage of the infield being drawn in and coming up with a big hit.”
The game was a pitcher’s duel between Logan Elm freshman Peyton Richendollar, a backup pitcher who got the call from coach Jeri Hartley against the defending league champions, and Teays Valley sophomore Sydney Manring.
The Vikings struck first in the second.
DeWeese singled to left with one out and scored when Lawrentz hit an RBI triple to right field.
Logan Elm countered with both of its runs in the third.
Lynsay VanHoose led off the inning with a single to left and advanced to third on a single off the center field fence by Sadie Binkley. Jacie Clifton then grounded out to second to knock in VanHoose.
Ryleigh Wolfe followed by doubling to right on a 1-0 pitch to chase home Binkley.
“When Lynsay gets on base it usually means good things for us, because the energy she brings changes the complexion of the game,” Logan Elm coach Jeri Hartley said. “We strung some good at-bats together with big hits from Sadie and Ryleigh and an RBI groundout from Jacie.”
Binkley singled twice for the Braves, and Lawrentz had her aforementioned pair of extra-base hits for the Vikings.
Richendollar scattered six hits and three earned runs over six-plus innings. She walked a pair of batters and struck out three.
“Peyton did a nice job of keeping the ball down and using her off-speed pitches to keep Teays Valley off balance,” Hartley observed. “She did a phenomenal job of competing in the circle and also using her defense behind her, which was perfect in the field tonight. When we pitch and play good defense, we are capable of competing with an outstanding team like Teays Valley.”
Manring allowed five hits and two earned runs over seven innings. She walked a batter, hit one and struck out six.
“Sydney was trying to use her speed early in the game, but once she settled in and pitched instead of throwing, she did a nice job,” Hastler said.
Both teams continue league play on Thursday, as the Vikings (16-2, 7-0) travel to Amanda-Clearcreek and the Braves (9-5, 4-3) host Circleville.
“I’m proud of the way our girls kept with it and found a way to beat Logan Elm, but we need to work on making our adjustments quicker and not overswinging,” Hastler said. “We were hitting a lot of lazy fly balls tonight, which are easy outs because we were too long with the backside of our swing.
“We need to stay within ourselves and not try to do too much, like we were doing for most of the evening.”
Teays Valley 3, Logan Elm 2
Logan Elm 002 000 0— 2 5 0
Teays Valley 010 000 2—3 6 3
Richendollar and Otterbacher; Manring and Mengerink
(740) 477-1661
