After a tough loss to Avonworth in which both the defense and offense struggled, the Lady Wolverines put together their most balanced team effort Saturday afternoon at Keystone Oaks to secure a 5-4 extra inning victory over the Golden Eagles.
The pitching was solid, seven different players banged out 17 hits, and the defense turned in their best performance on the young season by committing just one error.
After a scoreless first, Ellwood City plated two runs in the second inning. Katelyn Wehman drew a lead off walk and went to third on a double into the left field corner by Keira Rozanski. Wehman was cut down at home trying to advance on a bunt by Ellie Kalantzis as Rozanski moved to third and Kalantzis reached second on the play. Paige Wearing scored Rozanski with an rbi groundout and Angie Nardone brought Kalantzis home with a two out single to left.
Starting pitcher Julia Nardone walked the bases loaded in the bottom half of the second with one out but got out of the jam by inducing a pop up to first and flyout to right field.
Aliya Garroway led off the third inning and deposited a 3-1 fastball over the wall in right center field for a 3-0 lead.
A double by Woods and a single to right by Schmid made it 3-1 in the fifth inning.
The score remained 3-1 until the home half of the seventh when Woods and Schmid struck again. This time, Woods singled with one out and advanced to third on a double by Schmid. Down to their last out after a pop up to second base, Keystone Oaks sent it to extra innings. Reig beat out an infield single to maket it 3-2 and Conway worked a bases loaded walk.
Both teams held serve in the eighth and Ellwood City pulled out the victory in the ninth.
With one out, winning pitcher Julia Nardone hit a towering home run to dead center field to take the lead. Wehman followed with a line drive single to center but was erased trying to steal second. Rozanski provided some two out lightning with a triple to the wall in right field and scored on a clutch single up the middle by Kalantzis.
Ellie Kalantzis 2 out rbi single
A two-out RBI single by Kalantzis proved to be the game winner as Foti blasted a one out solo shot to right center to make it 5-4. Once again, Julia Nardone held her composure as her cousin Angie took care of the final two outs. The second on a groundout and the third on a line shot snared by the agile first baseman.
Julia Nardone ran her record to 6-1 on the season as she went 9 innings to get the victory. She gave up 10 hits while walking 7 and fanning 4.
Rozanski and Kyla Servick paced the offense with 4 hits apiece. Wehman and Angie Nardone contributed 3 hits on the afternoon while Kalantzis had 2. Garroway and Julia Nardone provided solo homers.
The Lady Wolverines will look to go 8-1, 6-1 in the section as Quaker Valley visits Steifel Park for a doubleheader Monday starting at 4:30.
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