By Ted Waddell
JEFFERSONVILLE — May 5, 2007 – You snooze, you lose.
In Monday afternoon’s Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV softball game between the host Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs and the Liberty Lady Indians, the visitors jumped out to a two-run lead in the top of the first.
The Lady Indians went on to record a 4-2 victory over the Lady Bulldogs.
With the bases loaded in the top of the first, Liberty’s Ellyn Wingert drove in a couple of runs with a base hit.
In SW’s turn at bat in the opening frame, Ginger Pierce reached on an error and Jennifer Pitz singled.
Stephanie Meyer drove them in with a base hit to tie the game at 2-2.
In the wake of three scoreless innings, Liberty (3-12, 3-4 Division IV) regained the lead. Brittany Melchick reached base and then advanced on a hit by Ceara Williams.
Back up at the plate, Wingert singled and Melchick scored to give the Lady Indians a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Liberty’s Kristen Sarno singled with one out, stole second base, took third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on another wild pitch.
SW (5-9, 1-3 Division IV) loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with just one out.
A questionable call on a runner sprinting from second to third translated to the second out. The last batter went down swinging for the fence.
“We waited, waited and waited for something to happen and it just never did,” SW Coach Mike Ellmauer said.
Wingert led the Lady Indians’ offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Liberty’s softball squad is a literary bunch.
At every game, Coach Maggie Novello posts a few reminders about the fundamentals of the game on the dugout wall.
For example, Monday afternoon’s message to the pitchers was “Work the batter,” and the message for the infielders and outfielders was to “Know where you’re going. Hoover it, baby!”
“It was outstanding,” Novello said of Monday’s victory. “They did whatever I asked them to do. Our pitcher was not just a thrower today, she was definitely a pitcher, she worked every batter.
“We played a good head’s up ballgame,” she added.