Ohio senior all-star girls rout Kentucky in regionals
Published 1:49 am Tuesday, August 4, 2009
SOUTH BEND — To error is human. To error nine times is deadly.
The Ohio Senior League All-Stars took advantage of nine Kentucky errors and pulled away to a 16-5 win Monday in the Midwest Regional softball tournament.
“Kentucky had a good ball club, they just had a bad inning and we took advantage of their mistakes,” said Ohio coach Ron Estep.
Ohio plays Iowa at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Ohio virtually clinched a berth in the regional semifinals. The winner of the Kentucky-Indiana should also advance to the semifinals against the Pool A representatives.
Ohio jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Nikki Nance and Bekkah Potter singled, moved up on a wild pitch and Karlie Collins hit into a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Nikki Elswick then doubled home two runs.
Kentucky got single runs in the first and third innings to tie the game only to have Ohio erupt for six runs in the top of the fourth.
With one out, Chelsea Wall singled and courtesy runner Emily Davis stole second. Brooke Skinner singled to put runners on the corners.
Jessie Morris was safe on an error as both runners scored. Erica Corn was safe on an error and Nance walked to load the bases. Potter and Collins each followed with two-run singles.
Kentucky got three runs in the bottom of the inning with the aid of two Ohio errors and a walk.
But Ohio bounced back to score four runs each in the next two innings and get the mercy rule win.
In the fifth, Wall walked and Kayla Ross reached on an error. Skinner hit into a fielder’s choice to score Wall and it was 9-5.
Nance singled in two more runs, stole second, took third on a passed ball and came home on a sacrifice fly by Potter.
Collins and Elswick both walked to start the sixth inning. Walls singled and Ross was safe on an error as two runs scored.
Skinner capped the rally with a two-run double.
Ohio had nine hits with Nance, Potter, Collins, Wall and Skinner all going 2-4. Elswick was 1-4.
Ohio 200 644 = 16 9 4
Kentucky 101 300 = 5 7 9
Nikki Nance, Bekkah Potter (4) and Chelsea Wall. Corbin Meredith, Taylor Davidson (5) and McKenzie Martin. W-Potter (2-H, 1-R, 2-BB, 1-K). Nance (1-K, 0-BB, 4-H, 4-R). L-Meredith. 2B-Ohio: Nikki Elswick, Brooke Skinner. Hitting-Ohio: Nikki Nance 2-4, Bekkah Potter 2-4, Karlie Collins 2-4, Chelsea Wall 2-4, Brooke Skinner 2-4, Nikki Elswick 1-4; Kentucky: Chanlee Qherson 2-4, Brooke Boyle 1-4, Hayley McBrett 1-4, McKenzie Martin 1-4.