Both Avery All-Star softball squads began District tournament play with games earlier this week. On Tuesday the 9-10 year old All-Stars played host to a tough Ashe County ballclub.
Bri Cuthbertson started inside the circle for Avery and pitched well through the first three innings of the contest, holding the Ashe club to only four runs total.
Avery had difficulty dialing in Ashe starter Brianna McCoy, as she struck out the side in each of the first two innings of work. The Avery club adjusted, however, and picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third frame to cut the Ashe advantage to 4-2 after three innings of play.
Ashe began to grasp control of the game in the fourth and fifth frames when they added four in the fourth and burst out for 11 runs in the top of the fifth to take a 19-2 edge. Avery would not give up, however, rallying to mount a two-out rally to plate a run to provide for the final 19-3 margin at Hodge Turbyfill Complex.
"Our girls gave a maximum effort. You couldn't ask for a better effort from a group of girls," Avery All-Stars coach Robert Garland said after the game. "Their first pitcher was really tough. Our girls are used to the speed from a machine, but aren't as used to the motion of the pitcher from the mound. We made a couple of bad plays and it got us down a little. Bri did a great job pitching before her arm started hurting her. She only pitched a couple of times during the season, but she'll get it. Kesha followed her up and threw well also."
11 and 12 Softball Upends Caldwell, Tangles with Lady Huskies
The Avery 11-12 year old Softball All-Stars picked up a postseason victory on Monday night, defeating the West Caldwell All-Stars by a final score of 21-14 in Collettsville Monday evening.
Ashley Yoder got the starting nod inside the circle, while Ellie Lecka came on in relief to help seal the win. Avery trailed by a pair of runs after the first inning of play, but the ladies rallied to score three runs in the top of the second to take their first lead at 3-2.
West Caldwell continued to battle, as the home team plated a pair to regain the advantage at 4-3. The early runs were indicated an offensive shootout, which proved to be true by game's end.
Avery grabbed the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning, taking a four-run edge at 10-6. Caldwell refused to fold, manufacturing a pair of runs to cut the deficit to two runs after four innings. Avery kept its hot bats going as the sun set on the horizon. Five runs in the top of the frame pushed the visitors' lead to its largest of the game at 15-8.
Avery's defense took charge in the bottom of the frame as it held West to only a single run, taking a six-run bulge into the final inning of the contest.
The teams combined for 11 runs in the sixth and final inning, with Avery crossing six of runners home for a 21-9 edge in the top of the frame. West Caldwell did not give up, however, as the squad cut the lead to seven at 21-14, but Avery buckled down and recorded the final out to advance to the second round in the winner's bracket of the District Tournament.
"We had a good breakout inning which helped us get out on them," Avery All-Stars softball coach Kevin Brown stated. "We made good contact hitting the ball and we didn't walk in a single run in the game. All the girls were hitting the ball well."
On Wednesday evening the 11-12 year old Avery Softball All-Stars matched up with Ashe County in a second-round tournament contest.
The Ashe team came out swinging off Avery starter Emily Brown, rallying to put up four runs in the opening frame. The Avery squad retired Ashe with runners on base to close the frame, however. Avery added a run in the bottom of the first when Clark stole home plate to narrow the deficit to 4-1.
Ashe turned the tide in the game in the top of the second when it scored six runs in the inning, six of which occurring with two outs. Hannah Blevins had the big hit of the inning with a bases-clearing, 3-RBI triple which staked the visitors to an 10-1 lead.
Avery's best opportunity to get narrow its deficit came an inning later in the bottom of the third. After pitcher Brown worked out of a bases-loaded jamp to hold Ashe's offense scoreless in the top of the frame, Avery plated a pair of runs in their time at bat. Kaitlyn Suddereth and Makayla Clark each scored runs, but the team also stranded three runners to close the inning behind by the score of 10-3.
Ashe County put the contest away for good in the top of the fourth as they scored four runs on seven hits to push its lead to 15-3. Avery was unable to close the margin within ten runs in the bottom of the fourth, which invoked the ten-run mercy rule to end the contest.
"Ashe is playing really good softball right now," Avery All-Stars softball coach Kevin Brown said after the game. "They have good pitching, and I think our girls were a little intimidated and backing out of the box or watching strikes go by due to the speed of the pitches. Our defense hurt us a little tonight."
The loss dropped the ladies into the consolation bracket, where they took on a Lenoir All-Star squad on Friday afternoon at
Avery drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning, but Lenoir rallied in the bottom of the frame, using a pair of bases loaded walks and a two-run single to take a 4-1 edge after one inning.
In Avery’s second time at-bat, the team scored on an RBI groundout by Allie Moody. Ellie Lecka singled and Emily Brown reached base via walk. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Lecka scored on a second wild throw by the pitcher to narrow the deficit to 4-3.
Following a pitching change by Lenoir, Jerica Reiger came on with a pair of runners on base and belted a two-run double on the first pitch she saw from the reliever to help Avery regain a 5-4 lead that they would never relinquish. Kaitlyn Sudderth laced an RBI groundout for the fifth run scored by Avery in the inning. Avery batted around in the inning as Ashlie Yoder drove in a run with a hit and later scored herself. Once the third out was finally recorded by Lenoir, Avery scored a total of nine for the frame and held a 9-4 lead.
Lenoir proved they weren’t going to lose quietly, however, plating three runs in the bottom of the second to draw within a pair at 9-7.
Avery’s bats stayed warm in the top of the third inning to extend its lead. The highlight of the five-run frame was a three-run, inside-the-park home run from Yoder, helping stake Avery to a 14-7 edge.
Yoder pitched her strongest inning of the contest in the bottom of the third when she allowed only four players to bat for Lenoir, retiring three of them to hold the
Avery went back to work in the top of the fourth with five additional runs, including a double from Rieger and multiple-RBI home run from Yoder. Lenoir scored one run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Avery defense retired the side to end the game due to the ten-run mercy rule by the final score of 19-8.
“The pitching was a lot similar to the
“Whoever we play next, we’ll feel like we’ve done well. Another week for us to practice together as a team will help us greatly,” fellow All-Stars coach Craig Rieger said post-game. “It’s amazing how much better a team gets when they have the extra time to work together, so practicing for several days will be good for us.”
Avery’s 11 and 12 year old softball All-Stars will next play this Saturday, July 11th.
