BUCYRUS — The Upper Sandusky Lady Rams came to Bucyrus fighting for their lives in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference softball race.
That fight translated well onto the field.
The Rams scratched out three runs on just six hits off Bucyrus’ Caleigh Rister, including the game-winner in the seventh inning, and Liv Gier made it stand up as Upper Sandusky edged the Lady Redmen, 3-2, at Jack Hewitt Field.
The win throws the N10 into a virtual 3-way tie at the top between Bucyrus, Upper Sandusky, and Mohawk.
The Rams were helped by small ball, executing three sacrifice bunts to move runners into scoring position.
“We had the mindset we were going to play small ball,” Upper Sandusky coach Luke Swavel said. “You’re not going to outscore this team. You’re not going to get four or five straight hits on them. So, you’ve got to put the ball in play.”
Bucyrus (14-3, 11-2 N10) anticipated the strategy from the Rams and handled it well, for the most part.
“It didn’t surprise us any,” Bucyrus coach Jerry Hargis said. “Now, the first ball they bunted we threw it out into right field. But, after that, we did a good job of playing small ball (defense).”
The Redmen struck first in the first inning. With one out, Haley Dye singled and Addy Rister had an infield single. Both moved up on a wild pitch and Dye eventually scored on walks to Jade Torres and Taisha Spears.
But Bucyrus left the bases loaded without scoring more runs in the inning, a theme for the day.
“We were in a position to blow the game open a couple of times,” Hargis said. “We didn’t get it done. We were horrible at the plate.”
Upper Sandusky (13-7, 11-2) tied it in the second on a single by Alyse Swartz, a passed ball, and two sacrifice bunts. The second, by Gier, drove home Swartz.
“That’s what you play for in games like this,” Swavel said. “You’re not going to have a whole lot of situations. You get a girl on, get her in scoring position, and all you need is one hit.”
The Rams took the lead in the fourth on a single by Jenna Kurtz and a two-out double by Jade Holman.
The Redmen tied it in the fifth on a single by Dye, a fielder’s choice to Torres, a single by Ashley Davis, and a wild pitch. But that was all the offense Bucyrus could muster, leaving at least one runner in every inning but the seventh — eight in all.
The eventual winning run scored in the top of the seventh. Holman led off with a single, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a single by Jenna Fagan.
Gier retired the Redmen 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh — the only time in the game she did so — and Upper Sandusky had a share of the top spot in the N10.
Caleigh Rister had a double and single to lead the Redmen, Dye singled twice, and Addy Rister, Davis, Faith Schifer, and Natalie Hankins singled. Caleigh Rister struck out an uncharacteristically low three batters but walked no one.
Gier fanned 10 and walked three in the circle. Holman had a double and single, Kurtz singled twice and Swartz and Fagan singled.
“I thought our pitching wasn’t bad, kept us in the ball game,” Hargis said. “We just didn’t win.”
“We’ve got three tough ones left — two with Mohawk and one with Bucyrus,” Hargis said. “I told the girls we control our won destiny, which at the beginning of the year, I told (Daily Chief-Union sports editor) Lonnie (McMillan), going into the last week, if we have control or a chance, we’re in a good situation.”
“We’ll see what happens (Thursday),” Hargis said. “It was a good high school game. We just have to play better.
“We had runners all over the place,” Hargis added. “We just didn’t get it done. But tomorrow’s a new day. You’ve got to be optimistic in this game.”
Box score
Upper Sandusky 010 100 1 3 6 1
Bucyrus 100 010 0 2 8 0
WP: Liv Gier (10 SO, 3 W)
LP: Caleigh Rister (3 SO, 0 W)
HR: None.
Triples: None.
Doubles: (US) Jade Holman; (B) Caleigh Rister.
Multiple hits: (US) Jenna Kurtz, Jade Holman; (B) Caleigh Rister, Haley Dye.
Records: Upper Sandusky 13-7, 11-2; Bucyrus 14-3, 11-2 N10.
Next: Bucyrus at Upper Sandusky, Thursday.