Wildcats Scratch Up the Cougars

In their third conference game this season, the Oakton Cougars lost to the Centreville Wildcats by the score of 11 to 1

The Cougars put a runner in scoring position with one out in the first inning after second baseman Georgia Brandt walked and pitcher Taylor Fay singled, moving Brandt to second.  Unfortunately, they remained stranded when the at-bat ended.

The Wildcats took a one-to-nothing lead in the bottom of the second inning, but Oakton answered back in the top of the third to tie the game.  Fay singled up the middle and then reached third base when center fielder Danni Nicholls singled to center-left field.  Third baseman Marissa Sanzone followed with a sacrifice fly ball to right field, which brought in Fay for what ended up being the Cougars’ only run.

Centreville took the lead again with five runs on four hits, a walk and a Cougar error in the bottom of the third inning.  Centreville added more runs in the fifth inning, while Oakton didn’t threaten again until the sixth inning when designated player Brittany Thompson reached on an error, and then advanced to third base when first baseman Katie Edwards hit a double to center-right field.  Unfortunately, neither scored before the Cougar at-bat ended.

The Cougars are still working on reducing their error count, and they made several nice plays on defense.  For example, left fielder Lindsey Smith, who was called up from JV for this game, made a nice running catch in the fourth inning; Nicholls made three catches in center field throughout the game; and Edwards hung on to the ball to make an out on a high pop-up in front of first base, despite the Wildcat runner plowing into her as she made the catch.