Mustangs Edge Cards in 10-inning marathon, 8-7

Crouch racing for the plate during third inning home run.

The Lady Cardinals lost an extra innings thriller Monday afternoon May 2d, losing to Bishop McNamara 8-7 in 10 innings. McNamara overcame a 2 run deficit in the top of the 7^th inning to tie the score and then manufactured another run in the 10^th to go ahead. With the loss, Ireton drops to an 11-7 record overall.

The Cards got on the board in the first inning when the Mustangs tried to pick off Freshman Maria Manzek at first base. The throw was bobbled allowing Heather Pearson to sprint home from third base. McNamara answered in the third inning with three consecutive hits and a pair of fielding errors to go up 4-1. Junior Micki Crouch led off the Ireton third with a home run. Heather Pearson reached first on an error, was advanced to second and then third by Debbie Ward and a Susie Rhodes’ single before stealing home. Meghan Pearson singled, but Susie Rhodes was thrown out at the plate while trying to score from second base. To finish the third, Junior Katie Keisner singled, driving in the tying run.

After another McNamara run in the 4^th inning, Pitcher Micki Crouch and solid defense shut down McNamara in the 5^th inning. After two quick outs in the Ireton 5^th , Susie Rhodes drew a walk followed by singles by Meghan Pearson and Katie Kiesner. With the bases loaded, freshman Megan Sullivan then slammed a fly ball double to center field plating all three base runners to put the home team up 7-5. Junior Debbie Ward also continued to swing the hot bat with 4 hits on the day. McNamara combined a couple of hits in the 6^th inning and again in the 7^th to score a run in each frame and force the game into extra innings.

Ireton put runners into scoring position in the bottom of the 7^th and again in the 8^th innings and furiously tried to get the winning run home. But, McNamara’s solid pitching and flawless infield defense were able to get the runners at the plate. The Mustangs pressed again in the 10th inning. The lead off runner reached on a single and worked her way around the bases before being stopped at the plate with a sweep tag applied by the Ireton catcher. But, a subsequent hit brought in the eventual game winner before Ireton ‘s batters were retired in order in the bottom of the 10^th.

“It was a great softball game,” commented Ireton Coach Terri Pearson. “Our girls put everything they had into it and things just did not break our way today.”

Ireton’s final week of conference play continues Wednesday at Good Counsel and then the Cardinals host Seton for Senior Day on Thursday at Luckett Field.