Cougars Lose in 14th Inning after Improbable Comeback, 17-18

After falling behind 0-9 in the first three innings, the Oakton Cougars improbably pulled ahead in the top of the last inning of regulation play and then ended up tied with the Chantilly Chargers at the end of seven innings. The Cougars eventually fell by one run after 14 innings.

Held scoreless for three innings, the Cougar offense finally awoke in the top of the fourth, just in time to stave off a 10-run-rule loss.  Center fielder Marleigh Hall started the Cougars up in the fourth with a single ripped right down the third base line, which combined with several walks to bring in two runs, making the score 2-9 after four innings.

After Chantilly scored one unanswered run in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cougars further closed the gap with a four-run rally in the top of the sixth.  Pitcher / first baseman Cheyenne Van Pelt started the rally by hitting a double over the shoulder of the Charger left fielder, who was playing her shallow.  Cougar left fielder Jenna Sharer followed with single to shallow right-center field, moving Van Pelt to third base.  A pitch or two later, Sharer stole second and Van Pelt scored on the errant throw to second by Chantilly’s catcher.  Cougar catcher Kelly Dunlap walked next, putting runners on first and second, and then right fielder Linda Lyons hit a grounder to Chantilly’s pitcher, who made a wide throw to first that ended up bounding down the fence on the right side of the field.  Sharer and Dunlap scored on the throw, and Lyons advanced to third base.  Shortstop Becky Cerva walked next, and then Hall hit a sacrifice fly deep in left field, scoring Lyons, who tagged-up from third.  Chantilly scored one in the bottom of the inning, making the score Oakton 6, Chantilly 11 after six innings.

Coming into what they thought would be their last at-bat down by five runs, the Cougars did not give up.  Oakton sent 13 batters to the plate to pull off an improbable comeback from nine runs behind at the start of the game.  The comeback started with three walks by third baseman Sami Bassett, Van Pelt, and Sharer, which loaded the bases.  Dunlap came up to the plate and hit a grounder to the Charger shortstop, who threw home to put out Bassett--but Bassett beat the throw to score.  Lyons followed with a line drive single at the Charger pitcher’s feet, which she couldn’t handle and which scored Van Pelt.  Cerva walked next, which brought in Sharer.  First baseman / pitcher Alana Peters then smashed a line drive between first and second bases that unfortunately nailed Cerva in the bicep as she ran to second base, but which also drove in both Dunlap and Lyons.  Hall followed and hit another low line drive to the left of the Charger pitcher, which she couldn’t handle.  Designated player Taylor Fay followed with a walk that brought in Cerva, and Sharer later walked to bring in Allison Davis, who was running for Peters.  At the end of the half inning, the Cougars had score seven runs and taken their first lead of the game, 13-11.

In their final at-bat of regulation play, the Chantilly Chargers answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 13-13 after seven innings.

The Cougars threatened in the top of the eighth inning when Lydia Petraglia, who was subbing for the injured Cerva while she received medical attention, drove a single into center fielder, and Peters advanced her to second base by hitting a single into left field.  No runs materialized, however, because Chantilly made a double play by catching a fly ball to left field and then catching a Cougar runner off base on the play.

The ninth inning brought the start of International Tie Breaker play, which begins each team’s at-bat with the runner who made the last out in the previous inning starting as a runner on second base.  In the top of the ninth, the Cougars plated two runs for a 15-13 lead on a single to left field by Fay, an RBI grounder by Van Pelt, and a Chantilly wild pitch.  Chantilly answered right back with two runs of their own on a walk, some wild pitches, and a Cougar throwing error, tying the score at 15-15.

Neither team scored in the tenth inning.  The Cougars put up a run in the 11^th inning using a sacrifice bunt by Fay and an RBI single by Bassett, which made the score 16-15.  Chantilly answered right back with one run scored using an RBI double, bringing the score level again at 16-16.

Neither team scored in the 12^th inning.  Oakton again took a one-run, 17-16 lead in the top of the 13^th inning on a sacrifice bunt and a score on a Chantilly fielding error.  With runners on first and second and one out, the Cougars suffered an unlucky break on a missed call in this inning when the umpires ruled that Van Pelt’s blooper fly ball to right field had been caught by the Charger right fielder.  The umpires could not see that the right fielder had dropped the ball when she hit the ground after the Charger second baseman collided with her because their view was blocked by the fallen fielders.  In the bottom of the inning, with Chantilly runners on second and third, two outs, and a one ball, two strike count on the batter, Oakton was one strike away from winning, but the Charger batter came through with a clutch RBI single that evened the game again at 17-17.

The Cougars threatened strongly in the top of the 14^th inning when they loaded the bases with no outs on a walk followed by a bunt single by Dunlap.  The Chantilly defense played tough and prevented any runs from this threat.  The Chargers made a nice force out at home on an infield grounder and then  got a strikeout and a fly out from Oakton.  In their following at-bat in the bottom of the inning, the Chargers scored a run to take an 18-17 lead that ended the game.

Van Pelt started the game in the circle for the Cougars, and she struck out one, walked six, and allowed eight hits over 2 1/3 innings.  Peters pitched a marathon game in 11 2/3 innings of relief, striking out six, walking six, and allowing 11 hits.