Bucks Overcome in Extra Innings
The Bucks celebrate at the plate as Maya Cristy scores the winning run on Thursday April 13th, 2023.
April 14, 2023
WELLS RIVER – On Thursday April 13th, the Blue Mountain varsity softball team started their season off with a 10-9 win against Richford after nine innings. The Rockets eliminated Blue Mountain in the quarterfinals last season, but this game had a different outcome. Richford came out strong with the sticks scoring all nine runs in just four innings. The Bucks worked hard to hold them and slowly chipped away on offense.
Many of the Bucks stepped up on defense while Kyra Nelson, a sophomore and the starting pitcher, pitched a complete game striking out five Rockets. Talia McCray and Kyriella Deuso pitched for Richford. Together, they struck out ten batters. The score remained tied, 9-9 from the bottom of the sixth to the top of the ninth. Lauren Joy from Blue Mountain, who scored three of the team’s ten runs and had many key hits, stepped up big. It was in the bottom of the ninth that sophomore Maya Christy was on third base, and senior Joy brought in the winning run with a walk off hit to second base.
Many key plays were made throughout the game that led Blue Mountain to their Victory. Biancca Carbee came in with a clutch throw from left field to home plate, preventing another Rocket from scoring. Felicity Sulham had a diving catch at first helping out her team. Gabby Houghton contributed with two doubles and a beautiful catch in right field. Lauren Joy states, “Even though we came out with errors and down five points, we still played successfully as a team. We came ready for a fight as we went up to bat in the first inning, which in the past has never been trait we’ve had before. We were never good at coming back into the game after having runs scored on us, and I believe we had the outcome we did because we came back in that first inning instead of getting down at ourselves. Since we had such good composure and compassion for this sport is why we were able to fight for this huge victory!”.
Lots of good things are to come for this division IV Vermont softball team. The Bucks face the Woodsville Engineers from across the river on Saturday April 15th at 11:00 a.m. on the Gerry Piper Athletic Field.
