The Franklin-Simpson Lady Cats held an early lead, lost it, and was able to regain it in their final at bat for the come from behind 6-5 walk off victory over the Allen County-Scottsville lady Patriots last Tuesday at the F-S Soccer and Softball Complex.
“A win is a win,” Lady Cats’ head coach Todd Caudill said. “We had some baserunning blunders but we won this game by baserunning and some good plays. We are slowly maturing and with that, we are getting more confident. We hung in there and it could have gotten away from us. They are very resilient. We’re playing smart and solid softball.”
In relief, returning back to the lineup for the first time in two weeks because of her hamstring injury, Allie Utley picked up the win as she pitched two innings allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
“I didn’t know I was going to be coming back at all this season but I am glad because I want to play with everyone including our seniors Hanna (Arthur) and Mollie (Fowler),” Allie Utley said. “I think when me and Fa’Drea (Payne) came back tonight, it showed that we were ready to play. Allen County-Scottsville were talking smack and that’s when we started to show out and came out with the ‘W’. Tonight was fun.”
“We had a lot of things not go our way but we overcame it with a lot of good hits and smart base running especially by Kloie (Smith),” Abbey Cook said. ”This is a big win to boost our confidence and if we stay confident, play as hard as we can, we’ll come out with a ‘W’.”
The game was scoreless for three and a half innings until the Lady Cats broke through in the bottom of the 4th. Allie Utley led off with a single Then an intentional walk to Kloie Smith and a walk to Hanna Arthur made the bases loaded. Kaitlyn Woodall delivered the first run of the game with an RBI single that scored Utley for a 1-0 lead. Then Abbey Cook drew an RBI walk that scored Smith, making the score 2-0. Maggie Brown hit into a fielder’s choice double play that forced a couple of errors by the Lady Patriots on the play that eventually scored Woodall for a 3-0 lead.,
Allen County-Scottsville took the lead in the top of the 4th as with bases loaded and two outs, they got a three RBI double that tied the game at 3-3. Then a fielding error by Franklin-Simpson allowed the go ahead run to score as they took a 4-3 lead.
The Lady Patriots added to their lead in the top of the 5th. A lead off double led to an one out RBI single that extended their lead to 5-3.
The Lady Cats cut their deficit down to one in the bottom of the 6th. Woodall led off the inning with a double and Cook followed with an RBI single that scored Woodall, making the score 5-4.
Allen County-Scottsville was held scoreless in the top of the 7th to set the stage for Franklin-Simpson in the bottom of the 7th. Jasmine Grover led off the inning with an infield single.
“It was very nerve racking but I just wanted to get on base and it worked. That was my main goal,” Grover said. “We just have to keep our cool, stay focused and try to get the runners in when they are on base.”
Utley reached base on a fielder’s choice with Smith being intentionally walked again. Arthur hit an RBI single to center that scored Utley that tied the game at 5-5. Woodall hit a groundout for the second out of the inning that moved Smith to third. That play turned out to ne a huge play as with an 0-1 count and Cook at the plate, a passed ball occurred and Smith scored the game winning run for the 6-5 walk off victory over the Lady Patriots.
“My at bat for the last inning wasn’t the best,” Woodall said. “But I did advance the runner to 3rd and she was able to steal home on a passed ball, winning us the game.”
“I have been saving that speed for the end of the season. No one knows about it until now,” Smith said.
“It is weird because normally, I don’t run the bases but I actually do love running the bases. When I am catching, the coaches don’t let me but when I am in the field, I am running them. I am not surprised that I got walked intentionally and that may happen a lot to me and Allie (Utley) gets walked a lot in the tournaments but we have a lot of good hitters in the lineup and I have faith in them to get the hits and drive in some runs.”
“Kloie (Smith) has another gear when she wants it,” Caudill said. “Good heads up baserunning with a good read on the ball. She has played a lot of softball and she knows that. “
Woodall, who scored two runs along with Smith and Utley, led the team with three hits with Cook having two RBIs.
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