Fort tops Elida (05/17/08)

FORT RECOVERY - Before they started tournament play, the Indians had lost six of seven games. They were shut out four times during the stretch.

Since the start of the New Bremen sectional Saturday, everything has changed.

The Fort Recovery softball team has won three of its last four games, two in tournament play to win a sectional title for coach Marie Osterholt's 100th career victory. The Tribe made it 101 Friday night, knocking off the Elida Bulldogs 9-6.

"They're doing all the little things," said Osterholt of why her team has turned its fortunes around in the last week. "They're getting it all together and just playing a whole game."

In a game with a combined 15 runs on 23 hits, it was still the Tribe defense that made all the difference.

With two runs already in and the bases loaded for Elida in the first inning, senior catcher Val Fortkamp picked off Boo Shingledecker at third base. In the third inning a wild pitch got past Fortkamp, but she hustled after the ball and flipped to pitcher Beth May to cut down Shingledecker at the plate.

The fifth inning saw Joanna Snyder and Ashley Grube turn a 5-4-3 double play. And in the sixth Kelly Sudhoff's toss from center field allowed May and Fortkamp to catch Jordan Duffy in a rundown between third base and home plate.

Finally in the seventh Chelsea Slusher of the Bulldogs ripped a two-run double to center field, but Sudhoff got the ball in quickly Heather Schmackers. She relayed the throw to Snyder at third to catch Slusher trying to stretch the hit to a triple.

Beth May immediately followed with a strikeout of Heather Jacobs to end the game.

"Our defense is just doing fantastic," said Osterholt. "We're making great plays. ... It's really nice to see.

"Val made two great plays, got the runner at home, got the runner at third when they were in scoring position. The defense just did really well."

Offensively the Tribe was off balance the first time through the order, but stayed back on the pitches from Lindsey Peters the second time through. In her second at bat, Snyder, the leadoff hitter, clobbered an RBI double to center field, and Heather Schmackers added an RBI single to right-center as part of a four-run inning.

A double to left-center by Grube led off the Indians' two-run third inning, and LeAnne Tobin launched a bases-loaded triple to right-center in the fourth.

Tobin also stole a base and scored a run in the victory.

"They really timed her up and swung through the ball and hit it hard," said Osterholt. "They did great. We had a lot of players hit tonight."

The hits came from everywhere are eight of the nine players in Fort Recovery's starting lineup had at least one hit. Kelly Sudhoff, the only player without a hit, still managed to get on base three times, drive in a run, steal and base and score three runs.

Fortkamp and Carla Guggenbiller each had two hits.

May earned the victory as half of the six runs against her were unearned. She gave up 13 hits and three walks while striking out two.

The loss went to Peters, who allowed the nine runs - six earned - on 13 hits and two walks. She had one strikeout.

Shingledecker went 4-for-4 for Elida with a run and an RBI. Kylie Prince finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Slusher was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.

Fort Recovery plays Spencerville in double-header action at home today, and will meet Parkway in the district semifinal round of the Division IV tournament Tuesday at New Bremen at 5 p.m. The Indians lost 7-0 to Parkway on May 9.

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