By Ted Waddell
ELDRED April 19, 2005 For the Eldred Lady Yellowjackets, the seventh inning of Thursdays non-league softball game versus visiting Tri-Valley wasnt a time to stretch.
Instead, it was time for the Lady Yellowjackets to proverbially pull a rabbit out of the hat and break a 9-9 tie with the T-V Lady Bears. Eldreds Ayla Kelty came up to the plate with no outs and the bases loaded with teammates Ashley Tice, Kim Hallock and Jeanna Harris. Kelty promptly drove in Harris on a fielders choice to give Eldred a 10-9 victory.
Eldred improved its record to 2-1 on the young season, while T-V fell to 0-2.
Thursday afternoons outing was the first varsity start on the mound for 16-year-old sophomore Lady Yellowjacket pitcher Ashley Tice, who helped out her own cause by proving once again there is gain in pain.
Late in the game the 16-year-old sophomore hurler knocked down a shot to the mound with her pitching hand and then stopped a wicked line drive with her stomach.
Although its best to let the infielders handle those liners, Tice made the outs to first, shaking off the hurt.
I was really nervous, she said of the victory over the opposing hurler, T-Vs Lindsay Nuzzo a senior who is a third-year pitcher.
About her feelings going into the final innings, Tice added, I was scared there for a minute, but it was great to get the win.
The Lady Bears led off the scoring with three runs in the first, two in the second and two in the third. They followed that up with solo runs in the fifth and sixth.
Eldred scored one run in each of the first two frames, three in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth and, of course, the game-winning run in the seventh.
Leading the T-V offense were Lacey Moore, who went 4-for-4 with an RBI, and Kristen Pomeroy, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Melissa Bachmann added two RBIs for the Lady Bears.
For Eldred, Jessica Cherry went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, Kim Hallock was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Kelty was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Tice gave up 11 hits, struck out seven and walked three.
T-V Coach Mary Feusner said her offense fell off after the fourth inning, as several of her players had to head home to take their SATs.
In addition, other Lady Bear players were at an FBLA conference, apparently studying the world of business rather than softball.
It will be a different story next time, Feusner said.
She said her team was baffled by Tices change ups.
We just couldnt adjust, Feusner said.
Eldred Coach Jolene Porter praised her teams perseverance.
I think we just hung in there and it ended up being our day, she said.