NTL SOFTBALL: WARD'S WALK-OFF SINGLE LIFTS SAYRE TO 10-9 WIN OVER SULLIVAN COUNTY (24 PHOTOS) (2024-04-15)

Valley Sport Report
SAYRE — Freshman Zoe Ward laced a line-drive RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Sayre to a walk-off, 10-9, win over Sullivan County here Monday night in non-league softball action at Riverfront Park.

With the win, Sayre improves to 2-2 on the season — matching last year’s win total.

“We needed a win like this one to show the girls they can win a close game they battled all game long,” said Sayre coach P.J. Davidson. .

“The offense did well. Rylee Lantz, Olivia Thompson and Abbie McGaughey had good game at the plate,” he noted. “Zoe Ward,  a freshman, walking it off for us was big.

“Overall, it was a pretty solid win,” added Davidson.

The Redskins committed a season-low two errors in the game.

“The girls played well defensively today,” said Davidson. “Mercedez Haggerty had a real nice game at second, and Meghan Flynn had a couple of nice plays (at shortstop), and one big play that saved a couple of runs.

“The outfield also had a couple of put outs that were in key spots,” he added.

Sullivan County turned two hits and two base on balls into a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but the Redskins answered with three runs in the home half of the first.

Sophomore Olivia Thompson led off the bottom of the inning with a looping single to right field, and junior Raegan Parrish reached on an infield error to put runners on first and second.

Junior Abbie McGaughey then tied the game with a one-out, two-RBI triple over the right fielder’s head. She came home on an RBI groundout off the bat of Ward to give Sayre a 3-2 lead.

Parrish pitched around a pair of two-out singles in the top of the second, and Sayre added a run on an RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore Makayla Brown to make it 4-2.

The Griffins tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third, but the Redskins answered with five runs in the bottom of the third.

Thompson led off the inning with a triple into the gap, and scored on an RBI double by Parrish to make it 5-4.

With runners on first and third after an error, McGaughey extended the lead to 6-4 with an RBI double, and sophomore Rylee Lantz made it 8-4 with a one-out, two-run single up the middle. Lantz stole second, took third on a ground out off the bat of Haggerty, and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 9-4.

The Griffins scored a run in the top of the fourth, and two more in the fifth to close the gap to 9-7, then tied the game with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Sayre had just three hits — two singles by Thompson, and one by Lantz — from the fourth inning through the seventh.

Parrish, who pitched a complete game for the Redskins, retired the Griffins in order in the top of the eighth inning.

“Reagan pitched a solid game and pitched us out of a couple of crucial jams,” said Davidson. “She made sure she kept us in the game, which is all we can ask.”

Senior Meghan Flynn led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a looping single into center field, then took second on a groundout off the bat of McGaughey. Ward then stroked the first pitch she saw into right field to plate Flynn with the game-winner.

Thompson was 4-for-4 with two runs scored, and two stolen bases, and McGaughey tripled and doubled, scored two runs, and had three RBI to pace Sayre’s 11-hit attack, and Lantz singled twice, scored one run, stole two bases, and drove in two runs.

Parrish singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run in the win, Flynn singled and scored two runs, Ward singled and knocked in two runs, Haggerty scored one run, and Brown drove in one run.

Parrish earned the win, allowing nine runs — five earned — on 12 hits, while striking out six and walking three.

Sayre, now 2-2,returns to action Tuesday at unbeaten North Penn-Liberty.

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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre junior Abbie McGaughey. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.