Blossman storms from behind to beat Peebles

By Ivan Sanders
STAR STAFF
isanders@starhq.com

   In Little League softball, the team whose pitcher can find the plate most often is the team that can pull out the win.
   Such was the case at Lions Field on Monday night as Blossman Gas rallied from a 11-5 deficit in the second inning to defeat Peebles by the score of 14-12.
   The win kept Blossman within one game of the front-running Sigma Six and Big John's teams in a tight league race this season.
   "I was really surprised to find ourselves down that far after the first inning," said Blossman coach Terry Cox. "Our pitching wasn't on tonight, but Kamra Fritz really got us rallying with her double, and our bats finally came around."
   From the start, Peebles looked like they might run away with the contest as the first nine batters all crossed the plate on one hit and four Blossman errors.
   McKenzie Eggers accounted for the lone hit in the inning on an RBI single. Amanda Schultz struggled early on for Blossman, giving up eight walks.
   In National Little League play, there is a ruling that after the sixth walk, the batter will go back to the dugout on the next base on ball in an effort to speed the game up as well as encourage the girls to go for the hits.
   If it hadn't been for the rule, Blossman might have been down even further.
   Blossman shaved a single run off the score in the bottom of the inning without the aide of a hit. Jo Ellen Rice collected an RBI on a walk and after one inning the score stood at 9-1 in Pebbles favor.
   Peebles added two more runs in the top of the second off new pitcher Kadey Robinson as the first three batters all drew walks. Taylor Kyte notched an RBI with a walk, and was followed up with a RBI fielder's choice from Lydia Carr.
   Feeling the heat, the ladies from Blossman finally managed to cut significantly into the Peebles lead in the bottom of the inning.
   Walks hampered Peebles pitcher Ricki Pritchard, with Blossman taking advantage of five more walks and a RBI single off the bat of Laura Moore to score four in the frame. At the end of two complete innings, Pebbles stayed in control at 11-5.
   Robinson found her groove in the top of the third with some great defense from her teammates.
   Kelli Lyons managed to draw a walk from Robinson squeezed between a ground ball out to second and a strikeout. Kayla Whaley drove Lyons home on a RBI single for the only run Peebles could muster in its at-bat.
   With the time ticking away, Blossman knew they were facing their potential last at-bat in the bottom of the third and they responded with a huge rally.
   Blossman stroked five hits in the inning with Fritz collecting two RBI's on a double. Robinson helped her own cause by ripping a two-run triple.
   Moore kept Blossman rolling with a RBI single. Before all was said and done, Blossman had responded by taking a 14-12 lead when time expired with Blossman still batting.
   "Kadey finally came on with it because she knows what to do, it's just a matter of her doing it," said Cox. "I was really hoping the time limit might help us as well and it did."
   With the win, Blossman's slate stands at 7-3 on the season. One of the losses came to Peebles earlier in the season.