By Rob Potter
LIVINGSTON MANOR — April 14, 2006 – The Tri-Valley softball team enjoyed its trip to Livingston Manor on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lady Bears took an early lead and proceeded to record a 14-0 victory over the host Livingston Manor Lady Wildcats in a non-league softball game.
With the win, T-V improved to 2-2 on the young season, while Manor fell to 0-4.
The Lady Bears grabbed the lead and momentum in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter Kaylie Ackerley singled to right field and then advanced to third base on two passed balls. Ackerley scored the first run of the game by sliding across home plate and under the tag attempt of Manor pitcher Dana Manell after a third passed ball.
Later in the frame, T-V’s Gretchen Hartmann stepped up to the plate with two runners on base. She promptly singled to center field, which allowed teammate Karyn Sheeley to score.
The next batter, Julie Shovlin, grounded out to second base. But as Shovlin was thrown out at first base, Kayla Scannell crossed the plate to give the Lady Bears a 3-0 lead.
Hartmann scored moments later when Kayla McNamara sprinted down the first base line to beat out a ground ball to shortstop.
After adding a run in the top of the second and another run in the third, T-V scored three times in the top of the fourth. Brittany McNamara led off the frame with a walk and subsequently scored when Scannell hit a fielder’s choice grounder to third.
Two batters later, Sheeley and Scannell each scored on a passed ball.
The Lady Bears’ offense kept going in the fifth. Scannell and Hartmann each ripped an RBI single and Scannell scored on a wild pitch. By the end of the frame, T-V had pushed its lead to 13-0.
Brittany McNamara scored the final run of the game when she crossed the plate on an infield hit by Scannell in the top of the seventh.
Scannell led the Lady Bears’ offense with three hits. Ackerley, Brittany McNamara and Sheeley each had two hits, while McNamara recorded two RBIs.
“The top of our lineup really came through for us today,” T-V Coach Mary Feusner said. “Our top five hitters did a nice job of getting timely hits and getting on base.”
Feusner also praised the pitching performance by Hartmann. The junior earned the complete game victory by giving up only two hits and striking out seven Lady Wildcats.
“Both of our pitchers have been doing well,” said Feusner, referring to Hartmann and Ackerley.
Feusner noted that Ackerley, a left-handed sophomore, pitched a great game on Monday afternoon in T-V’s 5-2 extra-inning loss to visiting Tuxedo in an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division V contest.
Note: Both Manor and T-V will be taking the next few days off for the Passover and Easter vacation.
The Lady Wildcats will look to record their first win of 2006 when they resume their season on Monday, April 24. At 4:30 p.m. that day, Manor will visit Chapel Field in an OCIAA Division VI contest.
The Lady Bears will return to the diamond in the Sullivan County Softball Umpires Tournament, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 22 at the Grahamsville Fairgrounds. T-V will meet the Eldred Lady Yellowjackets at 10 a.m. in the event’s opening round.