SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS: If you were to tune into The Family Feud and the subject was, “Name the biggest sports city rivalry,” the number one answer would most likely be: New York and Boston.
The evening started with two 2-4 teams trying to move the needle in the same direction – ending with what quickly has become the best unscripted drama in professional baseball.
The Heights took an early 3-0 lead off Kate Blunt in the first, courtesy of Denae Benites’ double, Kylee Lahners’ single, and London Studer’s liner into the gap.
New York looked to have the upper hand in the starting pitcher department with Jacqui “no earned runs” Reynolds on the hill. But after leaving five Hunters on base through the first two innings, surrendering three hits and a pair of K’s, Reynolds’ nighttime gig took an unfortunate turn in the top of the third with an injury.
Alyssa Zettlemoyer came in relief and with one out, retired a dangerous pair in Molly Paddison and Denver Bryant. The Heights got another run in their half, but it could’ve been more if not for Ticara Geidenhuis’ sick defensive skills, chasing down Raykung Kim’s liner to left, and rocketing to second, catching Kim trying to sneak in a double.
Zettlemoyer returned to the bump in the top of the fourth and the Boston offense was all over her like they were reading cards at a casino. The errors didn’t help her cause, but the Hunters did a lot on their own with a single from Hyeonah Kim, Maïka Dumais’ double, a beautiful sac bunt by Gabbie Haas, and a game tying sac fly from Edith De Leija.
Gigi Schiano got the call from the bullpen in the bottom frame and with one away, Haas made it two with a diving catch in center, robbing Natsuki Yonetani of a possible double. This ended up being key, as the third pitch to Denae Benites sailed over the centerfield fence for a solo home run, a league-leading seventh dinger of the season, to put Benites’ ahead of Kelsie Whitmore in the standings.
In the top half of the fifth, Boston took full advantage of Zettlemoyer’s three consecutive walks. Padgham’s pop up to shallow left was any fielder’s guess, dropping in for a run-scoring, game tying, error. Maïka Dumais walked to load the bases before the rain, that’s been threatening all season, made good on that threat.
After a brief delay, London Studer took to the hill, and got lucky on a series of miscues on the field that nabbed Padgham at the plate. But with two away – a free pass, a passed ball and a shot off of Studer’s glove made it 8-5.
In the sixth, Boston tacked on an insurance run, which in these games, is coverage that’s never too much. And in the final frame, the Heights had us on the edge of our stadium seats when two New Yorkers got on base with none out. Val Perez doubled in one. Schiano balked in another. Studer, the tying run at the plate, hoping to be a hero, flied out to left.
Dumais was Player of the Game – 2-3, two doubles, and two runs scored. Schiano was a close second with a clutch four innings of one unearned run on three hits, and a pair of K’s, one of which was against Benites.
What will these unpredictable Hunters do next when they face the Heights again on Thursday?