By By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
Tyson blasts home run in losing effort
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
ROCK RIDGE — In a game riddled with emotion and momentum swings, the Wilson County XTreme came up with the last decisive blow, beating the Washington 12U Babe Ruth softball all-stars 8-5 in the opening round of the 2009 World Series.
Washington led the World Series host team 5-4 going into the bottom of the fifth inning before Wilson used a barrage of hits to put up four runs and take the lead for good.
After the loss, Washington team manager Ann Lang said her girls seemed understandably nervous in their first-ever World Series game.
“It’s very overwhelming to be out here at the World Series, with all the ceremonies that went along with it.”
But, Lang is confident her players will bounce back and be ready for their 6 p.m. matchup today with southeast Denver, Colo. at the Onnie Cockrell Athletic Complex on the campus of Rock Ridge Elementary School.
“They are prepared and I think they will come back strong,” she said.
Washington came out strong against the XTreme, scoring two runs in the top of the first.
Catie Dority led off the game with another of her patented slap singles to the hole at short. Third baseman Haley Wright followed with a double to the right-center field gap that easily scored Dority.
After Wright advanced to third on a passed ball, No. 3 hitter Adrianna Tyson drove her in with a sharp groundout to the shortstop.
Washington starting pitcher Kelsey “Ice” Lang set the XTreme down quietly in the bottom of the first, but Wilson County came roaring back in the second.
No. 5 hitter Ashley Anderson started the inning off well with a double to deep left field. Anderson advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on the same play when the Washington catcher overthrew third. Following a quick out by Monique Ransome, Madison Ward hit another deep double to left that caromed off the outfield wall. Jessica Pendergrass got in on the action with a double of her own, scoring Ward. Washington second baseman Allison Brantley squashed the rally when she made an over-the-shoulder catch on a bloop by Kayla Eason and doubled up Pendergrass at second.
Wilson County tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third to go up 4-2 thanks to some nifty small ball and errors by Washington.
Washington waited until the top of the fifth, with the top of the order coming up, to make a comeback on the XTreme.
Dority started the swing inning off with a drag bunt single to first. Wright followed with a shot that handcuffed the shortstop, who tried to go to second for the lead out only to have the Wilson second baseman drop the ball.
Tyson took the next offering from Wilson County starting pitcher Caroline Smith into the stratosphere for a three-run homerun. The blast, which measured at 220 feet, was the first of Tyson’s career.
“It felt awesome. I didn’t know I’d be able to do it,” Tyson, who was voted Washington’s Player of the Game after going 2-for-3 with four RBI, said.
“I wanted to lift up my team,” she added.
But, the celebration didn’t last long as Wilson County struck for four runs in the bottom of the fifth, and Washington went down in order in the top of the sixth.
Tyson likes her team’s chances in its three remaining games in World Series pool play.
“I think we have a good chance of winning all three,” she said. “I think we just have to keep out heads in the game, not make any errors and hit the ball.”