Lights Out: East, Hauser end in tie after game suspension nullifies Jets’ big 11th

As darkness began to settle over Clifty Park Wednesday night, Hauser was in a no-win situation.

The more hits and runs the Class A No. 7 Jets kept piling up to begin the top of the 11th inning against Columbus East, the darker it became.

So after scoring five runs with nobody out in the 11th, Hauser coach Andy Brunner began having his runners step off the bases prior to a pitch to take outs in hopes that the Olympians would get a chance to bat in the bottom of the 11th. But the game was called with two out in the top of the 11th, and since East did not get its turn at bat, the score reverted back to the end of the 10th, ending in a 3-3 tie.

“I don’t like the rule, but I understand the rule, and it’s for the players’ safety, which is the most important,” Hauser coach Andy Brunner said. “When they called time the first time (in the 11th), we talked about going ahead and walking runners off then and getting them back at bat. But at the end of the day, we’re walking out of here with a win, regardless of what the scoreboard says.”

The Jets’ offensive outburst in the 11th ended what had been a pitchers duel between Hauser’s Paige McDaniel and East’s Kaylee Smith from innings 6-through-10.

“Kaylee has been doing a nice job for us this year of hitting spots, keeping the ball down, getting people to roll over the ball, getting ground balls,” East coach Rusty Brummett said. “Then, she’ll change the elevation of the pitch, and she’ll get them to pop up. So she did a great job.”

The Jets (7-2-1) jumped on the board with single runs in the first and second innings. Izzy Brunner singled with one out in the first and scored on a two-out single by Reagan Johnson. Maley Jordan reached on an error leading off the second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Kenze Bostic.

The Olympians (5-9-1) tied it with two in the second. Megan Kennedy and Savanna Sullivan singled to begin the inning, then moved up when Smith reached on an error. Brooklyn Saxe and Jessica Johnston then delivered RBI-singles from the bottom of the batting order.

Hauser regained the lead in the fourth when Jordan led off with a double, went to third on a single by Bostic and scored on a groundout by McDaniel. East tied it again in the fifth when Kaylee Cole led off with a bunt single, stole second and third and scored when the throw to third went into left field.

“I’m very proud of the way our girls played,” Brunner said. “They hit the ball. I would like to see a little more consistency at some levels, but top to bottom, we’re putting the ball in play. We had people on base almost every inning. If we come up with a big hit here or there, this ballgame doesn’t go into extra innings.”

Hannah Taylor led off the 11th for the Jets with a double, and Johnson followed with a home run over the left-field fence. Kyra Meister singled, stole second and scored on a double by Jordan. Bostic followed with an RBI-single, McDaniel walked and Haylin Campbell smacked a double.

Brunner then had the runners step off third and second. Then after Lucie Asher tripled, the game was called.

“They finally came alive,” Brunner said. “I tell the girls all the time, stay in the box and pound the ball. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose, as far as the ball going right to somebody vs. not. Sometimes you find a hole; sometimes you don’t. Just keep pounding the ball, and they did.”

Izzy Brunner went 2 for 4 for the Jets, who managed seven hits in the first 10 innings.

“That’s a good ballclub, as evidenced by their ranking,” Brummett said. “Top to bottom, they do a nice job. Last year, this team beat us 15-5. So what a difference a year makes.”

The Olympians pounded out 12 hits. Kennedy and Saxe each went 3 for 5.

“It was a long game,” Andy Brunner said. “It was a hard-fought game. Hats off to Columbus East. They played a great game, as well. Rusty and (East assistant) Jeremy (Foster) and those guys have really done a great job with that program.”