Bulldogs Bite the Cougars in Last Inning

The Oakton Cougars lost a heartbreaker in the last inning to the Westfield Bulldogs in their first conference game of the 2015 season.

The home-team Bulldogs built up a 6-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning.  Westfield’s pitcher kept most of the Cougar lineup off of the bases for the first six innings, while the Bulldog lineup steadily added runs by virtue of lots of hits.  The first of only two Cougar scoring threats in the first six innings was a double to the fence by designated player Katie Edwards in the third inning, which ended with her stranded on second.  The second was a single by second baseman Georgia Brandt in the sixth inning followed by a single by shortstop Sami Bassett, putting Cougars on first and second bases.  Unfortunately, both were left stranded.

In sharp contrast to innings one through six, the Cougars suddenly staged a roaring, two-out rally and scratched out a dramatic comeback in their last at-bat in the top of the seventh inning, scoring six runs on five hits.  Left fielder Danni Nicholls started the rally with a one-out double to left field.  After the second out, Edwards swatted her second double of the night to the fence, plating Nicholls for the first Cougar run.  Brandt followed with her second single of the night to left field, putting Cougars on first and second.  The Bulldog pitcher then hit center fielder Emily Kamienski with a pitch, loading the bases.  Bassett came up next and reached first base on a Bulldog error, while Edwards came home on the same play, which left the bases loaded.

Pitcher Taylor Fay came up to the plate next, and she hit the second pitch into left-center field for a single.  Brandt scored easily from third base on the hit, as Kamienski came from second and rounded third without slowing.  She beat the throw from the Bulldog left fielder to the plate, making the score 6-4, while the Cougar dugout and stands exploded with cheering.  Bassett and Fay advanced to third and second bases on the throw.

Next, as first baseman JoJo Felix was batting, the Cougar dugout and stands exploded again when Bassett came home on a passed ball to pull the Cougars within one run of the Bulldogs.  Fay advanced to third on the same play.  With a full count, and after fouling off two pitches, the crowd exploded yet again when Felix tied the game by hitting an RBI single into shallow center field, plating Fay.  The fantastic Cougar comeback rally ended with the score tied 6-6.

But, the home-team Bulldogs had their last at-bat coming, and they made the most of it.  The Bulldog lead-off batter singled, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Ending the Cougars’ hopes, she was driven in for the winning run by her teammate’s double to right field, making the final score 6-7 in the Bulldogs’ favor.

Freshman Rachel Lee, called up from JV for injured catcher Allie Welham, had a great night behind the plate.  Lee allowed zero passed balls, and she made a nice play at home plate in the third inning when she caught a rifle throw from center fielder Kamienski and tagged out a Bulldog runner who was trying to score from second base on the hit.