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Cal-Mum Red Raiders vs. Perry/Mt. Morris Yellow Jackets
It's going to be a long road back to the top for the Cal-Mum Red Raiders, who looked like ghosts of the team that won Class C last year in their early season 6-2 loss to the Perry/Mt. Morris Yellow Jackets last Thursday. Despite the Red Raiders getting off to a comfortable 2-0 lead, the Yellow Jacket bats were ferocious and their feet were quick, as a litany of bunts, pass balls and fielding errors led to a six-run third inning rally.
Both defenses managed to keep the game goose-egg to goose-egg in the first, but Cal-Mum would strike first in the second inning when veteran first baseman Katie Harmon drove a triple into right field. She would reach the dish during the next at-bat off a pass-ball. The Red Raiders struck again in the third off a triple right down the middle by shortstop Grace Walker, who would also score during the next at-bat off a fielder's choice. With two outs, catcher Montgomery Kessler looked to keep the rally going with a triple of her own, but Perry first baseman Autumn Milhollen recorded the last put-out to leave her hanging.
From there, it was all Perry.
Third baseman Ally Chamberlain's opening hit was fielded by Harmon, but Chamberlain managed to outrun the Cal-Mum first baseman and get the safe call. Pitcher Lily Jacques followed up with a successful bunt of her own to put runners on first and second. Shortstop Elissa Uveino made contact next, and the resulting fielding error allowed Chamberlain to score.
It was time for cleanup batter Emily Szwaczkowski to prove just why she hits in the coveted fourth slot. She doubled to centerfield and brought in the tying run to make it 2-2, putting two more runners in scoring position with no outs. Not even a quick visit to the mound could settle the Red Raiders, and two more runs would score at the next at-bat off a bad throw to first. A single and a walk later, the bases were swarmed with Yellow Jackets, and the nightmare for the Red Raiders only got worse as another pass ball allowed a fifth run to score.
Cal-Mum finally managed to record an out, but the fielder's choice allowed the sixth and final run of the inning to score. A great catch in foul territory by Kessler and a strikeout mercifully ended Perry/Mt. Morris' at-bat, but with the score 6-2, an uncharacteristic sense of urgency came over the Red Raider dugout.
Perry/Mt. Morris pitcher Lily Jacques catches Cal-Mum's Mary Murphy looking for the strikeout. Jacques struck out six Cal-Mum batters in the game and put out one.
Unfortunately for Cal-Mum (and fortunately for Perry), no more runs would score as both defenses laid down the law. One highlight in the fourth was an outstanding catch by Cal-Mum second baseman Mary Murphy, who on instinct reached out and caught a line-drive just in the nick of time, saving a sure single.
The fifth and sixth saw three consecutive at-bats end in double plays. Cal-Mum ended the fifth with a throw down at first by Walker, before Harmon turned and fired to third to get the advancing runner out. Anything you can do, apparently Perry can do better, as Uveino caught an on-the-screws ball and threw the retreating runner out at first to retire the Red Raiders. Cal-Mum returned the favor with a second double-play, as Walker caught a line-drive and threw the runner out at second.All the while, Perry pitcher Lily Jacques painted the black and fanned six Red Raiders.
Cal-Mum couldn't manage anything in the seventh, giving Perry/Mt. Morris the upset win over the reigning Section V Class C Champs.
Emily Szwaczkowski led Perry's bats, going 1 for 3 with 1 RBI. Jessie McClurg went 0 for 3 with 1 RBI. Ally Chamberlain went 2 for 3 with two singles. Cal-Mum's
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