Battlefield edges Stonewall Jackson in extra innings

By Dave Utnik

Published: May 9, 2008

Shannon Cleary saw the bunt sign and wanted to shake it off.

With one out in the 10th inning and teammate Megan Sutphin standing just 60 feet away at third base, Battle-field's No. 5 hitter asked for a timeout instead.

Then she walked casually down the base line and convinced head coach Joe Schelzo to let her swing the bat instead.

"I was confident in my hitting and I didn't think a bunt was going to work," Cleary said. "I told him I'm not really comfortable with the bunt in that kind of situation because there is a lot of pressure and I don't do well."

Cleary had enough pressure to deal with. The bases were loaded, the game against Stonewall Jackson was tied and the Bobcats needed a victory to clinch a tie for the Cedar Run District regular season champion-ship.

It didn't help either that the Raiders had purposely loaded the bases just to face her. So, from Cleary's perspective, a bunt wasn't the way to rally.

With talented shortstop Brittany Clendenny—already 2 for 4—waiting on-deck behind her, Cleary figured one of them was bound to come through.

"If I didn't hit that ball then B.C. would have hit that ball," Cleary explained. "We always have each other's back."

That's the way the Bobcats roll.

So after Raiders ace Melissa Kirby issued intentional walks to Battlefield's two best hitters—Courtney Liddle (.478) and Brittany Black (.545)—Cleary convinced coach Schelzo that she could bring home the winning run with something other than a suicide squeeze. Then the Bobcats' first baseman stepped back into the batter's box and lifted a fly ball into left field that easily scored Sutphin to give Battlefield a 4-3 victory.

"It was a huge feeling for me. I went up there and I was calm, I was relaxed," Cleary said. "She got me on inside pitches all night so I was expecting something high and inside and I just went for it."

On a night when Battlefield honored their two senior starters—Sutphin and third baseman Kaityln Sileo—by hanging their game jerseys and a pair of poster boards filled with photos on the front gate of the softball complex, Cleary made sure that the celebration had a happy ending.

"I was watching the ball and then when I saw the girl catch it I turned around and was like 'Go Megan' and I screamed at her," Cleary said.

Sutphin ran and then she slid—a rare event in itself—but there was no play at the plate and the Bobcats improved to 16-3 after allowing Stonewall to rally from a 3-0 fifth-inning deficit.

Kelsey Sayres doubled home one run and threw a runner out at the plate from right field, while Suphin had an RBI and scored the game's deciding run for Battlefield, which can clinch the district title and a Northwest Region berth with a victory at Osbourn Park on Tuesday.

The young Raiders, who upset Battlefield 1-0 at home last month, nearly spoiled the Bobcats' post-season plans thanks to run-producing at-bats from the bottom three hitters in the lineup—Amy Roop, Leah Howard and Kirby.

"Our bottom of the order came up big today," Stonewall Jackson coach Jason Koch said. "I'm very happy with them falling behind and coming back. I told them to walk off the field with their heads high."

When the Bobcats took the field in the fifth inning, Sutphin carried a no-hitter and a three-run lead with her. But the Raiders scored twice in the fifth and tied the game in the seventh.

Sutphin wound up pitching a scoreless eighth and then the Bobcats called on ace Brittany Black to work a pair of international tiebreaker innings. Black struck out five of the seven batters she faced to earn the win thanks in part to Cleary, who traded a sacrifice bunt for a game-ending sacrifice fly.

"She's the hero of the day. Brittany and Courtney get to be the hero a lot," Koch said. "Let someone else be the hero for one day and she did it."

BASEBALL

• BATTLEFIELD 13, STONEWALL JACKSON 3: Jullian Joseph drove four runs in and scored twice with two singles in the win as the Bobcats improved to 9-2 against Cedar Run opponents. Joey Elbisi and Evan Scott each hit doubles and scored four runs between the two of them. Elbisi drove two in as well. Matt Dove also recorded two RBI and scored two on a two-hit night (a single and a triple).

Matt Crouse pitched five innings striking out seven and allowing eight hits.

GIRLS SOCCER

• BRENTSVILLE 5, CENTRAL 0: The Tigers improved to 13-0 overall and 12-0 in the Northwest-ern District with the shutout Friday night. Ashley Grant scored twice as did Julianna Lillis. Noel Kawolewsky also found the back of the net. Kimmy Hopkins and Jessica Bunner each added assists and goal keeper Stephanie Dougher recorded two saves in the win.