Tourney ends quickly for Tribe (05/14/03)

NEW BREMEN, Ohio — Three straight losses was probably not the best way for the Fort Recovery softball team to head into the sectional tournament. And, it was able to stop the skid there.

The second-seeded Indians lost for the fourth time in a row, dropping out of the New Bremen sectional with a 12-3 loss to the St. Henry Redskins Tuesday.

“We just couldn’t come up with (the big hit),” said Fort Recovery coach Marie Osterholt. “We got behind because we didn’t make the plays like we could. We’ve played a lot better games than this.”

The Indians (12-8) committed five errors in the contest, allowing six unearned runs. They also failed to take advantage of scoring chances, despite finishing the game with just one hit fewer than the Redskins.

Lori Bruns scored St. Henry’s first unearned run in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. The Redskins took advantage of a pair of errors in the outfield to take extra bases in the third inning, scoring three times to go up 4-0.

Still in the game, Fort Recovery scored twice in a wild bottom of the third, but missed a chance to do more.

Lisa Grisez led off with one of her four singles on the day, and Joscie Kaup followed with a single. However, after they each advanced a base on a wild pitch, Kaup was called out for runner’s interference as she collided with shortstop Danielle Kremer on a grounder from Julie Faller.

Grisez and Faller each scored on a single to right field from Krystal Rammel, but Rammel was tagged out trying to reach second after a throw to the plate. The two donated outs allowed St. Henry starter Sarah Poling to escape the inning still holding a 4-2 lead on a ground ball by Renee Evers.

“Sometimes you’ve got to give the team the run they deserve,” said St. Henry coach Josh Link, whose team lost to Fort Recovery 7-2 during the regular season. “Then you hope you don’t let a small inning turn into a big inning.”

Having avoided the big Indian inning, the Redskins took advantage of three errors, a walk and a hit batsman to score three runs in the fourth inning without a hit. They scored once more in the fifth inning before Fort Recovery threatened again.

Grisez again led off with a single, and Kaup followed with one of her own. Faller grounded back to Poling on the mound, but Grisez distracted her as she faked toward the plate, and Faller reached first without a throw.

However, Poling recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Rammel and Evers, and got Sarah Schmitz to ground into a fielder’s choice. The missed opportunity with the bases loaded and no outs essentially ended the game for the Indians and St. Henry pulled away for the nine-run win.

Despite allowing 12 hits, Poling got the outs when she needed them. She struck out 12 in the win, which included striking out the side in the seventh inning.

“Unbelievable,” said Link on hearing his starter’s strikeout total. “She does it all. Right now we’re coming together as a team, and we’re playing behind her defensively.

“Sarah was on tonight. She had everything working.”

St. Henry (15-8) moves on to the district tournament to take on top-seeded Marion Local at New Bremen Tuesday at 5 p.m. The Redskins defeated Marion Local 6-3 in a non-league game this year, but neither Poling nor top Midwest Athletic Conference pitcher Dana Hartings were on the mound in that game.

Poling was also among four St. Henry hitters with two hits apiece. She added a run scored.

Lori Bruns, Lauren Stahl and Beth Niekamp each had two hits, and Kendra Post finished with three. Bruns and Lisa Uhlenhake each scored three times, and Kremer and Kylie Elking each scored twice.

Niekamp had a trio of three RBIs.

“They had some great hitting,” said Osterholt. “St. Henry did a nice job.

“They were ready to play, that’s for sure. They played well.”

Grisez led the way for Fort Recovery as she went 4-for-4 with a run scored. Kaup was 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Faller went 2-for-4 with a run.

Rammel singled and had a pair of RBIs.

Schmitz took the loss for the Indians, allowing 10 runs — six earned — in six innings. She walked three and struck out two while giving up 12 hits.

Fort Recovery will return to regular season action Thursday at Minster at 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]