ASHTABULA —
The Cornerstone Christian Academy won a truly wild game, 14-8, over the SS. John and Paul Heralds on Herzog Field at Cederquist Park on Friday afternoon.
The teams combined for a whopping 37 wild pitches, 17 walks, 24 hits, seven stolen bases, and 22 runs. That all being said, it was only 2-2 through four innings.
“It is a positive thing for us. We were aggressive on the bases. We are a very young team (though),” SJP coach Mike Houser said.
“We had to make some position changes, that set the tone for the last half of the game. (We made) simple fundamental errors.”
The craziness began in the fifth when Cornerstone Christian (2-1) scored two runs. Allison Coyne doubled and Amelia Scheinhorst singled her in, before scoring on a wild pitch. That pushed the Patriots up, 4-2, headed into the bottom half of the inning.
The Heralds (2-2, 2-2 Lake Effect Conference) did not let the pressure get to them and responded by scoring three of their own runs.
After Alivia Cimorelli walked and Megan Woodward singled, Matty Martino connected with an RBI single to score Cimorelli. After a Jen Thompson single, Alex Ferrante drilled a two-run single. This gave the Heralds the lead back, 5-4, after five.
The sixth inning continued the intense streak of back-and-forth action.
First, the Patriots came out and retook the lead, scoring a four runs. With two outs, Kiana King, Christine O’Leary, and Kim Hedger all singled, with Hedger picking up the RBI, and there were a few wild pitches along the way, as well.
Down 8-5, it would have been easy for the Heralds to quit, but they never did.
The SJP bats came back with two of their own in the bottom of the sixth with Brenna Powers connecting on a single, Jordan Scott advancing the runners after being hit by a pitch and both Cimmoreli and Megan Woodward each bringing home a run with a single. Patriot lead was cut to one, 8-7, and it was anybody’s ball game with an inning left to play.
Cornerstone Christian delivered the final blow with six runs.
Hedger, Allyson Coyne, Lauren Sanford, Kendall Woods, Mattie McCondless, and King all scored, stretching the Patriot lead to 14-7 headed into the bottom of the seventh.
The Heralds were able to get runners on second and third, but failed to tally.
“We just told em to be aggressive, run the bases. We got aggressive bases and bats,” Cornerstone Christian coach Kirk Headger said.
Coyne was 3-for-4 with three runs.
“Practice, encouragement from the team, the want (to hit the ball),” she said were the reasons for her success.
King turned in a good performance, scoring three times drawing two walks. She also pitched a solid four innings, getting seven strikeouts.
“With the help of my teammates, (they) encouraged me a lot. (I just had to) think about the pitch to throw,” King said.
Alex Ferrante singled three times in three trips, drove in a pair and walked twice. Martino was 2-for-4 and scored twice, Jen Thompson went 3-for-3 with a double and two singles, and starting pitcher Alicia Nigiraingas went 2-for-4.
Velotta is a freelance writer from Concord.
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