Monday, February 27, 2012
by Robert Audia

GAFFNEY, S.C.—Paige Johnson hit a game-winning, walk-off single in the bottom of the 8^th as the Cal (Pa.) Lady Vulcans knocked off the Alderson-Broaddus Lady Battlers, 6-5, in the A-B’s final game of the Limestone College Tournament.

It looked as if it would be a pitcher’s duel early on, as neither team managed to score in the first three innings. The Lady Battlers (0-4) threatened in the top of the 3^rd with runners on the corners with just one out, but Adrienne Daniels and Kharissa Renoth popped out and flied out to end the inning. Shelby Lia homered to open the 4^th for the Lady Vulcans (2-1) and Cal managed to get runners on second and third with two outs before Kat Powell earned a big strikeout to get out of the jam.

After Cal added another run in the 5^th, Renoth and Emily Pritt both singled to set up a Kat Powell one-out, three-run homer in the 6^th to put the Lady Battlers on top, 3-2.  The lead was short-lived, as the Lady Vulcans evened the score at 3-3 in their half of the inning. Neither team managed any offense in the 7^th inning, sending the game into extra innings.

In the extra frame, Renoth led off with a bunt single, and a throwing error allowed her to move to second and Daniels, who was placed on second at the start of the inning as part of an extra-innings rule, to come home to score. A sacrifice bunt by Pritt moved Renoth to third, and, after a Powell walk, Mary Mayer singled to bring Renoth home as the Lady Battlers took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the 8^th. Cal quickly equalized, as Alyson Johnson led off the inning with a 2-run homer to tie the score. Kristen McKenzie followed with a double and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, setting up Johnson’s game-winner.

Powell (0-2) took the loss on the mound for the Lady Battlers, giving up five earned runs and strikng out seven in 7.2 innings of action. She also led the A-B offense with two hits and 3 RBI.

Kaitlyn Schilling (2-0) earned the win in relief for Cal giving up just one earned run and striking out three in two innings of action. Hope Spancake got the start for the Lady Vulcans, allowing three earned runs in six innings while striking out five.

A-B will have some time off before they travel to Clermont, FL for their spring break trip, with their first game against Bridgeport (CT) on March 10 at 3:00 PM.