ALBANY — Down 12-11 to Waunakee in the bottom of the eighth, Juda-Albany had the bases loaded with two outs and the heart of its order up. Three-hole hitter Alana Durtschi, who had already collected 3 RBIs in the game, hit a hard grounder to the second baseman, who tagged Kierra Cleasby advancing to second to end the game.
“It was a nice hard hit ball there, and that’s all you can ask for,” Juda-Albany head coach Bill Davis said. “You don’t always get a hit, but you’re asking for good contact. We were in a position to win the game and it just didn’t go through for us — they made the play.”
Unlike last year’s 2-0 contest between Juda-Albany and Waunakee where there were six total hits, this season’s match up was a back-and-forth affair with scoring in seven of the eight innings.
The Panthers found themselves in an early 2-0 hole with errors on defense. Starting pitcher Anna Bartels missed her spot outside, as Avery Schwab hit an RBI single to center. She recovered by forcing a groundout for the second out of the inning. Olivia Bartnick then hit a bloop single in no man’s land behind first base, where second baseman Avary Briggs and right fielder Kam Simpson were unable to communicate. Schwab, who was running on contact with two outs, scored from second.
But, Juda-Albany responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI single from Myah Johnson to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Waunakee threatened again in the second, as Avary Abercrombie’s leadoff hit to right snuck under Simpson’s glove for a triple. Bartels buckled down once again. Jade Keene hit one back to Bartels, who checked Abercrombie at three before throwing to one for the out. She then struck out Avery Miller and got Amanda Comins to fly out to left.
“She’s a great individual and she knows how to pick herself up well,” Johnson said of her battery mate Bartels.
In the bottom of the second, Bartels helped herself out. With one out and runners on second and third, she lined a single to right to tie the game at two.
The Warriors regained the lead with a 2-run third, and the Panthers responded once again in the bottom with an RBI double from Avary Briggs.
With Emerson Briggs in for relief of Bartels, Juda-Albany got two quick outs in the top of the fourth. That’s when the flood gates opened. Zaria Hyman reached on an error, and Miller advanced to third on the play. Waunakee then hit three straight singles to take an 8-3 lead.
Down but not out, the Panthers began the inning with the bottom of their order. Phoenix Homan and Bartels drew back-to-back full-count walks, and Abercrombie hit leadoff batter Avary Briggs to load the bases with no one out.
“The bottom of the order is very important,” Davis said of the role his younger athletes play. “If they get on and set the table for the top, that’s huge. We have that potential. A really good performance from them today.”
Delani Blakely then hit an RBI groundout to shortstop, scoring Homan. Alana Durtschi followed with a double to right center, and Johnson came through with a deep fly to left field, scoring Rhyner from third for an 8-6 game.
Both teams went down quickly in the fifth, but Waunakee was able to scratch out insurance runs in the sixth and seventh for an 11-6 edge.
Trailing by five runs with three outs remaining, Juda-Albany didn’t go quietly. Emerson Briggs drew a leadoff walk and Homan was hit by the pitch. Although Waunakee got two outs with a fly out and strikeout, the last out was elusive.
Avary Briggs singled to left and the Warriors let the game carry on with an error. Durtschi plated two runs with a single to right, and Johnson tied the game with a line drive to center.
“There was a lot of energy in the dugout. As a team, we were able to pull that together,” Johnson said. “I feel like that energy, and the fact that no one gave up, we were able to get power. That led me into a very positive at bat.”
Anna Ellinger kept the inning alive with a walk, but Waunakee finally got out of the inning with a pop out to second.
Tied going into extras, Davis put in reigning Six Rivers East Pitcher of the Year Avary Briggs to tame the Waunakee offense. Paulsen was up to the challenge, sending a ball to left that hit the base of the fence for a double. She then took off for third on a wild pitch. Johnson’s throw to three sailed over Durtschi’s head, allowing Paulsen to score. Avary Briggs limited the damage to just one run with a ground out, pop out and strikeout.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, she kept the inning alive with a single to center. Cleasby then drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for three-hole hitter Durtschi. In her previous at bats, Durtschi was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. She hit a hard grounder to second, ending the game.
Both Durtschi and Johnson ended the game 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Avary Briggs also recorded a multiple-hit game. Juda-Albany drew 10 walks collectively. Bartels got the start and gave up four earned runs on seven hits. She struck out three without issuing a walk. Emerson Briggs gave up two earned runs on seven hits while also striking out three. Avary Briggs suffered the loss, giving up one run on one hit.
“We just have to get some games in,” Johnson said of the tough loss. “Everyone tried their hardest. No one is at fault. It’s just one of those learning experiences. We pick up our heads next game, keep going and get stronger.”
JUDA-ALBANY 5, RIVER RIDGE 2
ALBANY — Avary Briggs was a force to be reckoned with in the first game of the Juda-Albany triangular on Saturday, April 6. The senior went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs to lead the offense. In the circle, she gave up just two earned runs on six hits and struck out 11 for the win.
JUDA-ALBANY 11, BELLEVILLE 0
ALBANY — The Panthers ran amok on the Wildcats, stealing 11 bases in their season opener on Friday, April 5. Avary Briggs, Durtschi and Cleasby also collected two RBIs each in the affair. The Briggs sisters combined for a two-hit shutout, striking out nine.
