Tri-Valley One Away
From WSL Crown

By Rob Potter
GRAHAMSVILLE — May 26, 2000 -- Tri-Valley took a step closer to capturing the final Western Sullivan League softball title Tuesday afternoon.
Although the Lady Bears’ 17-8 victory over the visiting Jeffersonville-Youngsville Lady Trojans did not officially clinch the crown, defeating the second-place team moved the Lady Bears into a position to claim the title today. T-V, now 10–2 in WSL play (12–2 overall) is slated to host Eldred this afternoon. J-Y, which entered the game in second place in the standings, dropped to 6–4 WSL and 7–4 overall.
Due to a severe thunderstorm that hit the area on Thursday, May 18, the teams could not finish their scheduled game in Jeffersonville. The squads were to have completed that contest following Tuesday’s first game, but a steady rain and deteriorating field conditions halted play in the fourth inning.
If the second game could have been completed and the Lady Bears prevailed, they would have officially claimed the crown as they would have had only two league losses with one game remaining. And each of the other teams near the top of the standings, including J-Y, has at least four league losses.
Two innings keyed the T-V victory. With J-Y holding a 6-5 lead in the fourth inning, the T-V offense roared to life.
Destiny Hinkley led off the bottom of the fourth with a double and Lisa Sorrentino and Rachel Altbach followed with infield hits to load the bases. Two batters later Megan Sheeley ripped a single to center which gave T-V a 7-6 lead. Jessica Miller then tripled, which scored Sheeley for an 8-6 lead.
When the frame ended, the Lady Bears had added three more runs for an 11-6 lead.
After J-Y scored once in the top of the fifth, T-V added several insurance runs. Eleven Lady Bears stepped up to the plate in the frame and four of them scored for a more comfortable 16-7 advantage.
“I’m glad to see our offense coming together,” T-V coach Mary Feusner said. “Today we were grouping hits together and scoring in bunches. That’s the mark of a good team.”
Sheeley led the Lady Bears, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Mia Kawauchi went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Miller finished the day with a pair of hits and an RBI. Altbach and Heather Bachmann each added a pair of hits for the Lady Bears.
J-Y coach Mike Ellmauer, who was naturally disappointed by the loss, had a simple explanation for the outcome.
“They just hit the ball very well today,” he said. “They’re a typical Tri-Valley team that can really hit the ball.”
J-Y’s Kristin Erlwein was 2-for-3 and Amanda Davis had a triple.
Heidi Manell, who pitched five innings, picked up the win. J-Y’s Kelly Theis went the distance and took the loss.