Monday, April 23rd / Central Hilliard ~ On yet another spectacular spring weather evening in central Ohio, the Irish faced mother nature and the Panthers of Hilliard Darby and lost on both accounts. After a beautiful start to the day, the winds brought the clouds chasing the sun, and rains came in and the temps dropped just in time for the game. With the ball a little slick, the pitchers on both sides struggled periodically, and the defense had trouble holding onto the ball, but the Irish had the worst of it committing 7 errors, and dropping the OCC Cardinal League game by a final of 18-7.
Madison Heasley started for the Irish in the circle and battled the weather and the Panthers thorough the first few innings, and the Irish offense actually battled back and at one point handed her the lead. But the defense couldn’t hang on and ended up costing the Irish 13 unearned runs. Any time you give so many extra outs to a good team, they’re going to beat you, and the Panthers took full advantage of the opportunities they were given. Heasley only allowed 5 earned runs in her 4 innings of work, she walked 2 and struck out one, and hit a batter in taking the loss. Sarah Booth came on in relief and was charged with 5 runs (none of them earned) in her short outing; she struck out 2 and walked 3.
Offensively, it was another one of those nights that Scioto couldn’t get the timely hits to bring in the runs, as they left 7 runners in scoring position on the night. Maddy Baughman, Lauren Erickson and Heasley led the way as each had a pair of hits for the Irish. Trailing 3-0, Scioto batted around in the top of the 3rd scoring 6 runs and taking the lead temporarily, 6-3. Baughman beat out a bunt for a single and scored on a triple to the fence by Erickson. Booth walked, and went to second on a single by Heasley which scored Erickson. Emily Dinan rifled a line drive to right scoring Booth all the way from second and moving Heasley to 3rd. Katie Bush was safe on an error, driving in Heasley moving Dinan to third. Dinan scored on a wild pitch in the next at bat. Lucia Adams, running for Bush, stole second and moved to third on the same wild pitch. Makayla Jauregui capped the scoring for the inning with a deep fly ball to center, deep enough to bring in Adams Making the score 6-3.
Unfortunately, for the Irish, the lead would be short lived. Darby batted around in the bottom of the inning scoring 6 times themselves, powered by a HBP, 2 errors and 5 hits, retaking the lead, 9-6. The final run for the Irish would come in the top of the 4th. Baughman wound up on third when the third baseman threw the ball into right field on a slap attempt by Baughman. She scored two batters later on an illegal pitch called on the Panther pitcher. Booth held Darby scoreless in the 5th aided by a double play by Dinan stemming a late rally. But 3 more errors allowed extra hitters in the bottom of the 6th which led to Darby scoring 5 runs and ending the game early, denying Scioto their last at bat.
Tuesday night the Irish will step outside of league play as they host the Braves of Columbus Whetstone (we’ll try again). First pitch scheduled for 5:15.
Dublin Scioto 0 0 6 1 0 0 x 7 – 7 – 7
Hilliard Darby 2 1 6 4 0 5 x 18 – 13 – 4
