Kingsford softball rallies for 14-10 victory, gaining doubleheader split against Rockets
Trending
RAPID RIVER -- An eight-run seventh inning gave the Kingsford Flivvers the win, 14-10, and doubleheader split against Rapid River.
The Rockets won the first game 9-4.
"I was just waiting for it to happen from the first game, and it finally happened," said Kingsford coach Corissa Rice. "It's truly the way we've seen the girls hit either for full games or in little spurts. They finally just put it together.
"We did not come out with a vengeance after our ugly loss in the first game, but our defense was much better in game two than it was in game one … It took a bit to get our bats going but eventually we did."
Up until the seventh inning, it was back and forth and the teams were tied at the end of six.
Paige Janousek's single to right field in the top of the seventh pushed in Claire Phillips, who had three singles, for the go-ahead run. Janousek -- a freshman -- was called up from the JV squad and impressed with a double in addition to her seventh-inning single. Rice noted that she kept the Flivvers' rallies going.
Elaina Bortolini pitched both games for Kingsford, absorbing the loss and earning the win with two strikeouts and allowing four walks. She pitched a total of six games this week. Offensively, she was 3-5 with two singles and a double that hit the middle of the fence just shy of a home run.
"Elaina continued to work hard and never let up," said Rice. "She just never labored and kept working strong."
The season has presented additional challenges with COVID, and Rice is happy with how the team has stepped up.
"We started off incredibly well, and then, we lost five of our seniors for quarantine," she said. "We've had JV girls fill in, and I'm proud of them."
Natalie Belanger -- like Bortolini -- pitched both games of the doubleheader. She had 12 strikeouts in each game and no walks. Maddie LaChance and Myah Pearson were both 2-4 with a double apiece for the Rockets in the opener.
Belanger, aside from her combined 24 strikeouts, had a great defensive play in the fourth inning of the nightcap to keep the game tied at four.
As Allie Lavarnaway hit a groundball to Belanger, Macy Holmes -- who was on third from a triple -- looked to come home. Belanger picked up the ball and pump-faked to Carrigan Flath at first, drawing Holmes toward the plate. She then turned and tagged Holmes for the out.
Rockets coach Tim Belanger said the play helped keep momentum on the Rockets' side before it switched back to the Flivvers.
"We had a couple of errors that kind of shifted the momentum against," he added. "The errors started their rally and started giving their hitters some confidence."
Kingsford will host Calumet on Tuesday.