Late Buckhorn rally stuns Bob Jones
Caitlyn Haden pitched Buckhorn to a win over Bob Jones in the Area 15 opener
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- For six innings, Bob Jones clung to a lead that grew smaller by the inning. Then in Buckhorn’s final at-bat, the hits began to fall and they didn’t stop until the Bucks had put double digits on the scoreboard in an 11-run seventh inning.
The 14-5 loss left Bob Jones players and coaches stunned as they dropped to 0-1 in Area 15 softball action. Unranked Buckhorn goes to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in area play.
Buckhorn pitcher Caitlyn Hayden was a strike throwing machine as she went the distance. She gave up four runs in the first three innings but continued hitting her spots.
“She kept her poise and located the ball well,” Buckhorn coach Al Rauls said of Hayden. “She got down early because some calls didn’t go her way. Her teammates kept going to her and telling her we will get you back in this thing.”
Buckhorn started the come back with three runs in the fifth.
“We were hitting the ball all game we were just waiting on the hits to fall,” said Hayden who signed with Calhoun CC last month. “It was the biggest inning we have had at Buckhorn and we were due. We haven’t beat Bob Jones in a long time so it was a great feeling coming back and beating them.”
Bob Jones struck early on a two-run homer by Sydney Booker in the first inning. Amy Carden plated two runs with a hit in the fourth to make it 4-0 Patriots. Booker scored again on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Buckhorn struck for three runs in the fifth inning but Annabell Smith appeared to be cruising to her second straight complete game as she entered the seventh inning with a two run lead.
Down 5-3, Buckhorn scored five runs before Smith recorded an out.
Buckhorn sent 16 batters to the plate. They pounded out seven hits, three walks, three bunt hits, and a hit batter.
Brook Polson relieved but didn’t fare any better. Kaitlyn Nowakowski, Shawna King, and Allissa Daugherty each had two hits in the seventh alone. Destiny Wright and Nowakowski each had two-run doubles.
“I was real proud of them because they kept their composure even though they got down a few runs early,” Rauls said. “It is a big uplift to our program to win against a great team like Bob Jones.”
Rauls has three players who have signed to play in college next year. Kaitlyn Nowakowski signed with Cumberland and shortstop Jennifer Kern signed with Cleveland State CC.
