Bengals edge Softball in extra innings

BLAZER FIELD, March 30 -

In extra innings Monday night, Blair (3-2) softball fell to Blake (4-1), 2-1, in a pitching battle. Freshman Samantha Schweickhardt pitched a complete game, striking out 11 Bengals and allowing just one earned run, but the Blazer offense only accumulated five hits and brought just one runner home.

Head coach Louis Hoelman acknowledged that it was a close game. "We played a solid game,” Hoelman said. "We didn't lose; they beat us. We had to score more than one run to beat them.”

Senior co-captain Xenia Oroxom led the team offensively, hitting twice and batting in sophomore Emily Haislip in the fourth inning for Blair's only run. Haislip doubled and stole third before Oroxom's single to right field brought her in. "We had a solid defense, out hitting just needs more work,” Oroxom said. "We have to stop watching third strikes and we need to get runs early.”

Stalemated at 1-1 after seven innings, the game went to extra innings. Blake struck first, scoring on an infield error. Blair could not retaliate in the bottom of the eighth, as their tying-runner junior Lily Alexander was caught stealing at third and the following batters could not connect with the Blake pitching.

Sophomore Eve Brown seemed to initiate a rally for the Blazers in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brown, with two outs, singled on a line-drive and then stole second base. Blair however, was unable to capitalize and left her in scoring position, sending the game into extra innings

Last year, the Lady Blazers lost three games in extra innings. Even before the season began, Hoelman mentioned the necessity to win those close games. He plans to address the issue with heavy batting practice. "We had good at bats but we didn't string hits together,” Hoelman said. "We let Blake's pitcher get confident early on.”

The Lady Blazers' next home game is against Quince Orchard on April 6 at 10 a.m.