Galena softball comes back to beat Carson

Christa Casci pulled off one high wire act, but couldn't do it twice as the Galena High softball team rallied for a 7-4 win over Carson on Tuesday at CHS.

Casci came into the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the first inning, with Galena leading 2-0. Casci was able to escape the jam without any more damage. But the Grizzlies broke through against Casci in the sixth with the help of two Senator errors, scoring four unearned runs to overcome a 4-3 deficit.

Freshman Cassie Vondrak started for Carson and was coming off a stellar effort in a 1-0 loss to Douglas. But Vondrak had to give way to Casci.

"She was on," said Carson coach Scott Vickrey about Casci. "She was firing on all cylinders."

Lena Armuth, who had three hits, began Galena's rally in the sixth when she led off with a double. An error then gave the Grizzlies runners at first and third with no outs. Megan Molinari's RBI single tied the score 4-4.

Another run scored on a fielder's choice and a third run scored on a throwing error on the same play to make it 6-4. Megan Fincher followed with an RBI single to make it 7-4. The damage could have been worse if not for a diving catch of a line drive by Katie McEwan at third.

"We just had the inning where the wheels came off," Vickrey said. "The merry go-round started."

Casci walked and scored in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1. Kaitlin Burroughs doubled and scored in the third and the fifth and McEwan singled, stole a base and also scored in the third as the Senators took a 4-3 lead.

Fincher had two hits, including a double, and Kaitlin Porter, Chelsea Matteoni, Brianna Bullentini and Kellie McGinley all added a hit for Galena. Jordan Williams pitched the last four innings for the win. Burroughs and Dacey Hassey doubled twice and Casci had two RBI for Carson.

"That part of the lineup is starting to come through," said Vickrey about Hassey and Burroughs.

"We're a little disappointed," Vickrey also said. "We hit the ball better today than we hit the ball against Douglas.

"I'm still not happy with the runners we left on base in key situations. That made a big difference."

DAYTON 6, FERNLEY 5

The Dust Devils overcame a 5-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the sixth against one of the Northern 3A's best pitchers in Heather Matthews.

"She pitched a very good game," said Dayton coach Dusti Houk about Matthews. "THis was a big one for us."

Dayton scored four runs in the sixth. Sierra Barnwell tripled and was brought home by Melissa Goetz. After Melony Cox doubled, Breanne DeHaven stroked a two out, two-run triple.. Brittany Hill followed with an RBI single to make it 5-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, Goetz moved Barnwell to second with a sacrifice bunt. Cox followed with an RBI double. Cox eventually made it to third and scored the game-winning run on Sara Simmons groundball to second when she beat the throw to the plate.

Barnwell scored twice and Cox had two doubles and two runs. Jaime King had three hits and Matthews had two hits for Fernley. Matthews, who went the distance, struck out seven and walked one.

Jessica Greer scattered eight hits while giving up three runs over four innings. Brittany Burrows struck out three while allowing two runs over three innings for the win.

Dayton (2-0, 1-0) turned three double plays. "Defensively we played very well," Houk said.

An 8-2-5 double play came in the first when centerfielder Hill fielded Matthews' single and threw to catcher Barnwell to nail the runner at the plate. Barnwell then nailed the runner trying to advance to third.

Amanda Brandenburg also caught a flyball and threw to second for another double play when the runner strayed too far off.