Cougars Scratched by Panthers in Home Opener, 5-3

The Oakton Cougars opened their season at home against the Paul VI Panthers, and lost a close game by the score of 5-3.

PVI opened the scoring by plating one run in the first inning on a single and three walks.  The Cougars answered back in the bottom of the second inning when freshman third baseman Cassie Brazinsky walked, stole second base, and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Rachel Lee.  Brazinsky later advanced to home on a wild pitch, tying the game at 1-1.

The Panthers took a one-run lead again in the top of the third inning.  Despite a lead-off double by the Cougar’s left fielder Nicole Berube in the fourth inning, the Panthers held the Cougars scoreless during innings three and four.

PVI stretched their lead by two more runs in the top of the fifth inning on three singles and a walk, but the Oakton bats finally woke up in the bottom of the fifth inning.  First baseman Katie Edwards led off the Cougars’ at-bat with a walk, and freshman pitcher Natalie Felix moved her to second on a sac bunt.  Second baseman Georgia Brandt came up next and hit a single to left field, moving Edwards to third while Brandt advanced to second on a Panther throwing error.  With only one out, center field Linda Lyons came up next, and she hit the first pitch deep into left field.  Edwards and Brandt scored easily on the hit, but Lyons was put out at third trying to stretch her double into a triple.  At the end of five innings, the Cougars trailed by only one run, 4-3.

PVI scored another run in the top of the sixth inning, making the score 5-3.  The Cougars mounted a serious threat in the bottom of the sixth inning as shortstop Caroline Brogan led off with a single to right field, and Brazinsky followed with a single to right field, putting runners on first and second bases.  Brogan and Brazinsky advanced to third and second bases on a wild pitch, but were left stranded as the Panthers put out the next three Oakton batters.

Oakton held the Panthers scoreless in the top of the seventh inning, but could not put up any runs in the bottom of the inning, in spite of another single by Lyons.  The game ended with the final score of 5-3.

The Cougars played error-free defense, including an outstanding catch in foul territory by left fielder Berube, which ran her into the fence; five putouts by third baseman Cassie Brazinksy; and five putouts by senior shortstop Caroline Brogan, who has returned to play better than ever after last year’s season-ending knee injury.