BRADFORD – The Bradford softball field resembled an amusement park as both teams took turns riding the rollercoaster. In the end the Jets would enjoy the ride the most as they outlasted Bradford to record a 16-13 WOAC win.
Both teams brought plenty of offense to the game as the Jets racked up 17 hits to the Railroaders 13.
Franklin Monroe jumped out in front to start scoring 5 runs in the 1st inning running off Bradford starting pitcher Casey Bolen.
Jets senior catcher Jocelyn Gray highlighted the 1st inning with a towering home run to left field scoring 3 of the 5 runs. Gray added two more hits in the game and tallied 5 RBI’s.
Franklin Monroe senior Olivia Sease connected on a solo homerun in the 2nd inning.
The Railroaders scored one run in the 1st, 2 runs in the 2nd and one in the 3rd and trailed Franklin Monroe 6-4 heading into the top of the 4th inning.
The Jets then exploded for seven runs in the top of the 4th inning as they would put the ball into play as their singles began adding up. Lila Davis hit a single scoring 2 runs, Alivia Addis followed with a single scoring a run and freshman 1st baseman Faith Wintrow blasted one way out of the park for two more runs as the Jets built up a 13-4 advantage.
Bradford added a run in the bottom of the 5th inning only to see FM add 3 more runs in the top of the 6th inning. Jocelyn Gray hit a line drive to score Jozlynn Wintrow who led off with a double. Gray eventually scored on a pass ball and sophomore Amy Addis scored off a base hit from Sease to build a 16-5 lead and they were looking to end the game by run rule if they could hold in the bottom half of the 6th inning.
But it was Bradfords turn to ride the rollercoaster as they didn’t get the memo about the run rule.
Seniors Tegan and Alani Canan would lead the Roaders attack with a hit from Tegan scoring two runs followed by a single from Alani scoring two more runs. The big knock in the inning was a bases loaded double from Chloe Hocker scoring three more runs to close the gap to 16-12 pushing the game into the 7th inning.
Bradford’s starting pitcher who was ran off the mound early returned in the 7th and this time she shut the door not allowing another run by the Jets.
Then in the bottom of the 7th inning the Railroaders freshman Kendal Weldy scored on a single from Alani Canan that would put pressure on Franklin Monroe. Bradford had runners on 1st and 2nd base and the tying run at the plate … but a pop-up was reeled in by Joanie Hall near the dugout for the 3rd out as FM held on for a dramatic 16-13 WOAC win.
After the game Franklin Monroe senior 3rd baseman Joanie Hall who had two of the last putouts in the game talked about playing in a back-and-forth game like this.
“It definitely was high scoring game but we came in with good energy that extended out onto the field, it’s all about having fun and that’s how we scored a lot of those runs, even before we stepped onto the field,” Hall said.
Bradford would make Franklin Monroe a little nervous especially late in the game and that was in partly due to their offense coming alive.
“We are a good hitting team. But as young as we are, emotions dictate talent when you’re a freshman and playing in this environment and in a league game. It was kind of rough at the beginning … but we got the girls to focus in on one thing and they started to come alive,” Bradford coach Shon Schaffer said after the game.
FM Senior catcher Jocelyn Gray who got the team going with her blast in the first inning talked about the start and then trusting one another as keys to winning, especially late in the game.
“It was a bit nerve wracking down the stretch … but I think you have to trust who you’re beside if you don’t believe in the people you have out on the field, it definitely affects how people play. Especially if you can see it in the dugout, it’s all about trusting who you’re around and if you’re nervous then that’s just going to spread to the whole field,” Gray stated.
Bradford certainly caught the attention of Franklin Monroe coach Jared Morris with the way they battled back.
“We got a little complacent when we had we had that 11-run lead. We thought we were good but that’s a credit to them they had at least five hits and was able to move the runners after we gave them a few bases and did what they needed to do by scoring seven runs to make it a tight game,” Morris commented.
Franklin Monroe Olivia Sease who belted a solo homer in the second inning and had 3 hits and two runs batted in also talked about the win.
“It was nice to play against a team that’s pretty comparable with us. We have a team full of hitters, so it was important to come out with positive energy, and I think that carried us through tonight to get the win,” Sease shared.
Franklin Monroe improves to 4-12 on the year and 3-3 in the WOAC while Bradford falls to 4-8 overall and 2-4 in the league.
