By Rob Potter
JEFFERSONVILLE — May 23, 2008 — Goshen’s Kathleen Payne scored on a base hit by teammate Nikki Musumeci in the top of the fourth inning of Monday’s non-league softball game to give the Lady Gladiators a 3-2 lead over the host Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs at Lauren Hughson Field.
Goshen added to its advantage in the fifth inning and tacked on four insurance runs in the seventh to record an 11-5 victory.
In the top of the fifth, Chelsey Locatell singled to allow Aly O’Connor to cross home plate. Later in the frame, Payne blasted a three-run homer to push the Lady Gladiators’ advantage to 7-2.
Goshen (14-2) took a nine-run lead in its final at bat as Rylie Carpenter and Audrey Donnelly each hit a bases-loaded, two-run single.
SW (5-7) attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Leadoff batter Sarah Lander reached on an error and Kayla Olsen entered the game as a pinch runner for Lander. Olsen advanced to third base on a passed ball and a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Edwards. After Lindsey Bauer walked, Olsen scored on a wild pitch.
The next batter, Jennifer Pitz, also walked to put two runners on base. Kristen Niemann then ripped a double to left center. Bauer and Pitz both crossed the plate as Niemann made her way to second base, bringing the Lady Bulldogs to within six runs at 11-5.
But Goshen pitcher Lindsay Evans, who relieved Locatell after Edwards’ sacrifice bunt, got an infield pop fly to end the game.
Locatell allowed only three hits and recorded eight strikeouts to earn the victory.
“We played good defense and were able to get some solid hits when we had runners on base,” Goshen Coach Tom Gilbert said.
Gilbert noted that he was pleased with how his relatively young team, which has six sophomores, played – especially with a key game against Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division III foe Port Jervis slated for the next afternoon.
Lander took the loss for the Lady Bulldogs. She struck out three batters and walked one.
After Goshen scored twice in the top of the first, SW tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. With one out, Rachel Gruenke reached base on a walk. She scored on a triple by Bauer.
Bauer then scored the tying run on a passed ball.
“We had some opportunities to score more runs, but we didn’t,” SW Coach Mike Ellmauer said.
However, Ellmauer and the Lady Bulldogs didn’t have too much time to dwell on the loss.
SW was scheduled to travel to Highland Falls on Wednesday afternoon for an OCIAA Division IV game versus host James I. O’Neill. Yesterday, the Lady Bulldogs were slated to host John S. Burke Catholic High School in an OCIAA Division IV contest.