By HUNTER O. LYLE
COUDERSPORT, PA – After starting the game with frustrating errors, miscommunication and a six-run deficit, an explosive surge pushed the Otto-Eldred softball team over Coudersport as they tallied a 21-8, five-inning win over the Lady Falcons.
Typically a hit-the-ground-running team, the Lady Terrors found themselves stumbling in the early goings against their second to last league matchup. Facing a high wind that kept the ball in the air alongside mental mistakes at the plate, O-E was dispatched in their first three batters to open the game. Then, after allowing a runner on base with a dropped third strike, the Lady Terrors would give up a run off a routine throw to third that sailed over the would-be recipients glove.
O-E evened the score in the second with Carrie Drummond cracking a double into the outfield before being brought in on a sacrifice grounder from Jahden Smith, but once again a self-inflicted wound – this time a wild pitch – would give the lead back to the Lady Falcons. Going scoreless again in the third, the Lady Terrors would then watch as Coudy solidified their lead by a wide margin.
The Lady Falcons put Hannah Fleniken on via walk before back-to-back passed balls moved her to third. Another passed ball brought her around home plate before loading the bases twice and ultimately coming away with four runs to end the frame.
“I think mentally, we just didn’t step it,” said Otto-Eldred head coach Kristina Francis. “I thought we struggled a little bit on the mound and we were sluggish coming into the game.”
Finding themselves down 7-1, O-E’s frustration finally came to a head. However, instead of crumbling, the Lady Terrors surged.
Smith and Lexi Prince earned spots on base with a single and a walk, with Smith making her way to third on consecutive steals, setting the stage for Rayel Hakes to start the comeback. Hakes nabbed an RBI single before a Lady Falcons overthrow gave O-E their third run of the day. Another error after a Remy McDivitt bunt would drive in Hakes followed by a steal and score that brought their run total up to four. From there, the Lady Terrors seemed to be unstoppable, finding hit after hit as they quickly chipped away at Coudy’s lead. Baylee Francis, Drummond and Smith would crush three straight doubles, combining for four scores while Hakes would finish the frame with another RBI single, putting the Lady Terrors up 10-7.
Jahden Smith rattles off a hit during the Lady Terrors’ come-from-behind win over Coudersport. Through five innings, Smith ended 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
“We just started leveling off our swing and laid down some bunts. We got a couple base runners that were moving on the bases and hits produce hits,” said Kristina Francis. “Once you get bats going, that helps everybody build confidence.”
Visibly rattled, the Lady Falcons would suffer three outs in four batters before their own dreams of a comeback would be dashed in the top of the fifth. Nerves and a rapidly depleting morale would give way to error after error as O-E cashed in on any and all opportunities to run up the score. Altogether, the Lady Terrors would score six runs on plays that were blown up by mistakes and as they rotated through their lineup almost two complete times, their lead had reached a point of no return. By the end of the frame, O-E had amassed a 14-point advantage.
“They took my fired-upness and they took my criticism and said, ‘hey, I want to get it done,” said Kristina Francis. “Ultimately, they can hear all I have to say but it’s up to them to make the decision to want it more than the other team. They persevered.”
The Lady Falcons would reach home plate one last time in the bottom of the fifth, albeit, on a bases-loaded walk, however, the white flag was already being waved. After coming back from the brink of defeat, O-E had completed the season series sweep while also notching league win No. 10 and their 12th straight victory.
Outfielder Brooklyn Pearce dives for a pop fly during Otto-Eldred’s 12th consecutive win of the season. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
Seven Lady Terrors recorded hits in the win, with Smith and Hakes finding three each. Smith ended 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored while Hakes ended a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBIs and a pair of runs. Drummond (2-for-3), Baylee Francis (1-for-4) and Ayla Van Scoter (1-for-4) all scored three times each and combined for three RBIs.
“We started to pick it up. We got the hits we needed, we laid down some bunts, our base running was there. Obviously (Coudy) struggled in the circle as well,” said Kristina Francis. “At the end of the day, a W is a W no matter how ugly or pretty it is.”
AT COUDERSPORT
R H E
Otto-Eldred 010 9(11) 21 12 1
Coudersport 115 01 8 4 4
O-E: Francis (6 SO, 12 BB) and Drummond
CD: Lagrua (2 SO, 3 BB), Fleniken (5) (1 SO, 7 BB) and Billings
