By Ashlea Prouty
FALLSBURG — June 1, 2010 — Last Tuesday was a hot day on the softball diamond as the temperature climbed into the 90s during the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division V game between the visiting Tri-Valley Lady Bears and Fallsburg Lady Comets.
While the players attempted to stay cool in the dugouts, fans huddled against the Benjamin Cosor Elementary School as it provided a narrow path of shade.
T-V prevailed by the final score of 20-10 in what was the last game of the season for both teams.
Fallsburg began the contest aggressively. The Lady Comets’ starting pitcher, Celia Garcia, retired the first three batters she faced.
In the bottom of the first inning, Fallsburg (0-16, 0-10 Div. V) sent nine batters to the plate, recorded five hits and scored five runs. Among those hits was an RBI single by Kierra Miller.
T-V (6-11, 3-7 Div. V) answered back in the top of the second as a season-high 14 batters came to the plate. The Lady Bears recorded eight hits in the frame, including an RBI single by Rachael Adriaans. The Lady Bears also scored eight times to take an 8-5 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Miller, Paige Seletsky, Chelsa Heron and Tonye Freeman all scored a run as the Lady Comets regained the lead, 9-8.
But T-V’s Erin Smith scored a run in the top of the fourth to tie the score at 9-9.
The game remained even until the top of the sixth inning.
While running to make a routine catch, Fallsburg shortstop Heron stumbled and fell. She injured her knee while falling, which required an ambulance to respond to the field to transport Heron to the hospital for further medical attention. During the 40-minute delay in the blazing heat, both teams attempted to hold their focus on the game.
When play resumed, the Lady Bears scored four runs in the top of the sixth and seven runs in the top of the seventh to take an 20-9 advantage.
With their minds on Heron, the Lady Comets were only able to score one more run before the game ended.
“Today was Karyn Sheeley’s last game after six years,” T-V Coach Mary Feusner said. “She is our only senior here today. We ended on a good note for her and I am pleased.”
Sheeley had two hits and scored three runs in the game.
“We had an injury, but the girls played awesome,” Fallsburg Coach Carlye Hyde said. “That is all you can ask.”
Prior to the game, Fallsburg honored its seniors and their parents by presenting them with flowers.