Published: May 09, 2008 10:49 pm            

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Jeff advances to HHC title game

JEFFERSONVILLE — It took the New Albany softball team three days and seven innings to get warmed up.

And when the Bulldogs’ bats finally got going, they found it was already too late.

Host Jeffersonville plated a run in each of the first three innings, built a four-run lead and then held off a dramatic late New Albany rally to beat its archrival 5-3 in the semifinals of the Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament on Friday.

The contest actually began on Wednesday evening, with the first two innings being played before rain swept into the area and pushed the remainder of the game back two days.

On Wednesday, the Red Devils got an RBI single from Cydney Wilcoxson in the bottom of the first and another from Jennifer Jackson in the second to grab a 2-0 lead before the game was postponed.

And they picked up right where they left off.

Wilcoxson scored on a single by Kim Hensley in Jeff’s first at-bat on Friday, while starting pitcher Megan Stirn continued to hold the New Albany offense at bay.

“We’ve been talking all season about being focused,” said Jeff coach Becky Shafer. “Even with the delay, they stayed focused on what was in front of them and it paid off tonight.”

New Albany (10-9) got on the board in the top of the fifth, when senior Paige Wills crushed a triple into deep left center that scored Shelby Elzy. That left Wills on third with one out, but she was caught in a run-down after Chelsea Jordan hit into a fielder’s choice and Jeff managed to avoid a large-scale rally.

It wouldn’t be the last time that Stirn and the Devils got out of a sticky situation.

“I have to hand it to Jeff,” said New Albany coach Steve Belden. “They got hits in a timely manner and we didn’t.”

Jeff (13-6) gave itself some breathing room in the sixth, loading the bases on a textbook bunt from Chelsea Davis, a walk issued to Morgan Stirn and an infield single from Bailey Waterhouse. That brought up first baseman Kelsey Sumler, who lined a pitch perfectly into the gap to score two runs.

“That’s what Kelsey has been doing for us all season,” Shafer said.

With one last chance, the Bulldogs dug in and fought back, opening the seventh with back-to-back singles from Brittany Kaiser and Elzy. With the bases loaded, Wills lofted a single just over second base to make it 5-2.

Chelsea Jordan hit into a fielder’s choice, but reached safely and scored Elzy. That left the bases loaded with no outs.

“I told the girls that the heart we showed was as important as anything I’ve seen all year,” Belden said. “It’s something we can build on.”

But after those two runs, the Devils managed to escape unscathed when Chelsea Knable and Chelsea Banks each grounded out and Faith Griffaw flew out to center field.

“I am so proud of the kids for having the composure to battle through that last inning,” Shafer said. “The difference was execution. Every time we needed a bunt, needed an out, needed to move a runner, we did that.”

With jubilation on the Jeff side and disappointment on the other, Belden talked about just how close his team had come.

“We had the bases loaded three times and a single base hit maybe gives us the lead,” he said. “That would have gotten us pumped up and who knows what would have happened then. That was disappointing, but Jeff made good plays and they deserve a lot of credit.”

Jeff advanced to today’s finals, where it will meet Jennings County. New Albany will meet Floyd Central in the consolation bracket finals on Monday.



NEW ALBANY 000 010 2—3 7 1

JEFFERSONVILLE 111 002 x—5 7 1

W — Stirn (11-3). L — Griffaw (10-8). 2B — Sumler (J). 3B — Wills (NA).

Records — Jeffersonville 13-6, New Albany 10-9.

        

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