Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — It was supposed to be a softball game, but it felt more like a tennis match.
Green took an early lead, St. Joseph rallied to go ahead, but then the Lady Bobcats rallied themselves as they got a 10-9 win on Monday in the Division IV sectional tournament.
The game was scoreless until the third when a dropped third strike opened the door for Green to score six runs on three errors and three hits.
Two errors and two hits gave Green two unearned runs in the fourth and it was 8-0.
St. Joseph got two runs back in the fifth when Emma Whaley singled for the Lady Flyers’ first hit. Isabelle Griffiths and Kaitlyn Sheridan walked to load the bases and Alex Holtzapfel lined an RBI single.
Kelsey Malone then grounded out to score Griffiths and it was 8-2.
St. Joseph took a 9-8 lead with seven runs in the sixth.
Karly Young opened the inning with a single, Faith Mahlmeister and Whaley walked and Alyson Johnson hit into a fielder’s choice with the catcher dropping the ball allowing pinch-runner Emilee Blankenship to score.
Sheridan hit into a fielder’s choice with the throw home mishandled to allow Mahlmeister to score.
Holtzapfel lined her second hit — down the left field line — that scored Whaley and Malone followed with a double to empty the bases.
Malone came around to score on a pair of wild pitches.
But the Lady Bobcats rallied in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs and then held the Lady Flyers scoreless in the seventh to get the win.
Holtzapfel was 2-4, Whaley and Young 1-2 and Malone 1-4 as St. Joseph had five hits.
St. Joseph 000 027 0 = 9 5 6
Green 006 202 x = 10 10 3
Alex Holtzapfel and Kaitlyn Sheridan. H. Bradley, A. Jenkins (6) and K. Cline. W-Jenkins (IP-2.0, ER-2, K-4, BB-2). Bradley (IP-5.0, ER-5, K-5, BB-8). L-Holtzapfel (K-K-5, BB-5, HBP-1). Hitting-St. Joe: Alex Holtzapfel 2-4, Emma Whaley 1-2, Karly Young 1-2, Kelsey Malone 1-4; Green: K. Sparks 2-3, K. Derfield 2-4, C. Blevins 2-5, C. Kellogg 1-4, K. Cline 1-4, H. Hamonds 1-4, M. Carver 1-3.