BETHEL – In a back and forth slugfest, the Blanchester softball team found a way to come out on top Friday night.
The Ladycats scored the winning run in the ninth inning on Noelani Tangonan’s sacrifice fly in a 10-9 victory over Bethel-Tate in SBAAC National Division action.
Blanchester is 2-0 on the year, both games being against division rivals.
“We got production from everyone in the lineup,” BHS coach Jamey Grogg said. “This was just a good, old-fashioned slugfest and we found a way to win.”
Blanchester led 6-1 then trailed 7-6, led 9-7 and then was tied 9-9.
In the ninth inning, Hannah Mann was hit by a pitch and stole second to start the inning. Morgan Oberle singled to left before Savannah Shank reached on an error to load the bases. Tangonan then lifted a flyball to left that allowed Mann to score the game-winner.
Maddie Curless worked out of a jam in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the victory.
“Maddie was a real warrior on the mound,” Grogg said.
BL 100-323-001…..10-16-4
BT 100-060-200…..9-10-2
(10) BLANCHESTER (ab-r-h-rbi) Tangonan 6-0-0-1 Patton 6-1-2-1 Abney 5-1-1-0 Dalton 4-2-3-0 Curless 5-0-4-2 Mann 3-2-0-0 Rose 5-1-2-3 Oberle 4-0-1-0 Shank 5-0-3-2 Phillips 0-3-0-0.
SB: Mann, Oberle, Shank (2)
HBP: Mann (2)
SAC: Tangonan
PITCHING IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO
Curless (W) 9-10-9-5-6-4