ARGYLE — It was a game of opportunities, and defending WIAA Division 5 state champion Belmont walked off the field as regional champions June 16, knocking off top-seeded Argyle 9-5 in nine innings.

“They took advantage of our mistakes, and we didn’t take advantage of theirs,” Orioles coach Heidi Ganshert said.

Belmont out-hit Argyle 12-4, but the Orioles walked 12 times against Belmont starter Mia Hodgson. 

In the bottom of the first inning Argyle staked itself to a 2-0 lead on a 2-RBI triple by Tori Lantz. Belmont got on the board in the third, but the Orioles made it 3-1 after five innings.

That’s when things got interesting.

In the top of the sixth inning, Belmont loaded the bases on a leadoff double, a single to center and an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. A hard single hit at Argyle third baseman Jenny Helfvogt allowed a run, and a bases-loaded walk by the Braves tied the game at 3. 

“I just told them — nothing spectacular — I said ‘We can do this. We can beat this team,’” Heidi Ganshert said about a mound visit she had with her players. 

Grace Ganshert then got a fielder’s choice groundout and struck out a batter, but then Rylee Rogers walked to put the Braves ahead 4-3 before the inning could end.

Not ready to mope around the diamond, the Orioles kept their eyes on the price. Hodgson walked five straight batters and then hit another. A caught stealing kept a run from scoring, but the Orioles scored twice to regain the lead headed into the seventh. Belmont scored on a two-out single to stay alive. The Orioles left the bottom of the seventh with the game-winning run stranded on third. 

“They really worked hard all game, coming back and fighting back,” Heidi Ganshert said of her team.

Grace Ganshert sat down the Braves in order on 12 pitches in the eighth. The Orioles nearly won it moments later. Megan Johnson led off the inning with a walk, then Lantz doubled down the left field line. Hodgson then struck out Megan Larson, and Hannah Gierhart reached first on a fielder’s choice bunt. However, Johnson was picked off on third for the second out, and Lindsay Connors struck out swinging, ending the threat.

“We just couldn’t get the hits when we needed them,” Heidi Ganshert said. 

The Braves then went to work in the top of the ninth, putting together four hits and taking advantage of an error in the outfield, which led to four runs being scored. Helfvogt walked to open the bottom of the ninth, but Hodgson sat down the next three batters to end the game.

Hodgson allowed four earned runs, walked 12, hit four batters and gave up four hits while striking out 10 on 173 pitches. Grace Ganshert struck out 11 and was tagged for seven earned runs on 144 pitches.

Lantz finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and three RBIs. Grace Ganshert scored three runs on a single, three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

“(After the game) I just said ‘Thank you, seniors.’ We did a lot more this season than anybody ever thought we would,” Heidi Ganshert said.

To get to the regional championship, on June 14 Argyle defeated Southwestern 13-1 in five innings. 

The Orioles scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning and made it 10-1 after the third inning. In the fourth inning, Argyle added three more runs.

Grace Ganshert was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. On the mound she struck out eight with zero walks and allowed four hits. 

Johnson had three hits and two RBIs. Connors had two hits, including a double, drove in three and scored twice. Lantz singled and doubled. Oliva Isely had two RBIs and a base hit. Gierhart doubled and scored twice and Helfvogt singled, walked and scored twice.