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Panthers suffer run-rule loss to CA
March 31, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Pictured left - This Columbus Academy base runner slides into the bag at third before the ball gets to Fairbanks’ Cody Slone Monday evening. The Vikings beat the Panthers, 13-0, in five innings.
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A late rally by Graham kept the opening of Triad’s new softball and baseball facilities from being a complete success on Monday.
Despite some recent wind damage to the dugout roofs, the Cardinals hosted Graham on their brand new fields behind the high school.
The Lady Cardinals christened their new facility with a 10-0, five inning win, while Graham scored twice in the seventh and twice more in the eighth to pull out a 4-2 victory in the baseball contest.
Softball
As it turned out, the top of the second inning turned out to be the turning point of the game.
After a three up and three down first inning for both teams, Graham threatened in the second. The Falcons loaded the bases with two outs on an error, an infield single and a walk. Senior Morgan Ryan ended the threat with one of her five strikeouts and the Falcons were unable to thereafter mount a serious threat.
“Getting out of that inning was huge for us,” coach Shari Dixon said. “With seven new starters, we had some first game jitters but we worked our way out of them.”
Scoring two runs in the third seemed to relieve any remaining stress for the Cardinals.
Sammy Nawman drove in the first run after Kari Hunt had singled and Kelsey Funderburgh had reached on an error. Amy Ropp later singled to plate run number two.
The Cardinals sealed the win with five runs in the fourth on four hits. Lauren Brown started the rally with a walk and singles were slapped by Ryan, Funderburgh, Addie Dixon and Ciara Howell.
Three runs in the bottom of the fifth brought the run rule into play.
Hunt walked with one out and moved to second on a bunt single by Funderburgh. A run scored on an error, followed by another miscue that allowed Britney Graves to reach base. Run number nine was tallied on a wild pitch and Dixon ended the game with an RBI single .
Triad finished the game with 10 hits. Funderburgh led the way with three hits and Dixon added a pair.
Ryan logged her first win with a two-hit shutout. She walked one and fanned five.
“It’s really nice to win the opener and it’s extra nice to finally be here on our own field,” Shari Dixon said. “This has been a community project from the beginning and everyone should be proud of it.”
The Lady Cardinals will host Mechanicsburg today at 4:30 p.m. in their OHC opener. The game was originally scheduled for Mechanicsburg, but was moved because the Indians’ diamond was not yet ready for play.
Graham 000 00 - 0 2 3
Triad 002 53 - 10 10 2
WP-Ryan. LP-Heckman.
Baseball
Triad managed to squeeze the most out of the first six innings of a pitching dual in this game.
While junior right-hander Tyson Funderburgh was blanking the Falcons on six hits over that span, Triad bunched its only three hits together to tally two runs in the sixth.
Kaleb Deam led off the scoring inning with a double and advanced to third on a single by Tyler Wilson. Two outs later, Ethan James blooped a hit to right that drove in both runners.
Graham tied the game with a pair of runs in the seventh.
Funderburgh issued a walk and a single to the first two hitters, prompting head coach Will Nichols to bring in James to pitch. A stolen base and a seeing-eye ground ball single over second base tied the score.
James ended the rally with a pair of strikeouts and a brilliant barehanded stab by the Graham shortstop ended a Triad threat in the bottom of the frame, sending the game into extra innings.
Graham’s eighth was almost a replay of its seventh. A walk, a bunt single and a sacrifice put two runners in scoring position. A squeeze bunt scored the go-ahead run and a grounder to short notched the insurance tally.
Triad tried to answer in the bottom of the frame with a walk and a single but could get neither runner home.
“It would have been nice to pull this one out,” Nichols said. “Graham made a great comeback and those walks that opened the last two innings really came back to haunt us. We’re pretty young, with eight sophomores seeing action tonight.”
On a bright note, Nichols added his take on the new facilities.
“The new field is really nice and creates a great atmosphere for baseball,” he said. “We’re excited to be playing here and the community is excited also.”
Triad will host Mechanicsburg today at 4:30 p.m. in the OHC opener. The game was moved from Mechanicsburg, where the diamond is not yet ready for play.
Graham 000 000 22- 4 8 0
Triad 000 002 00- 2 5 3
WP-Zook. LP-James.
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