HOPE — In the bottom of the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game against Greensburg, Hauser softball coach Andy Brunner told leadoff batter Zoee Nading to do what it takes to get on base.
Nading did her job to reach base on a walk, and then consequently, it led to a huge trickle effect with everyone else on the team reaching base with single after single. Kylie Mack ended the game with a RBI-double to deep center field to give the Class A co-No. 7 Jets a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Pirates.
“I’m not going to lie, I was really nervous,” Mack said. “I really wanted to keep (the rally) going and keep bringing the energy up.”
Brunner sensed the energy was shifting in about the fifth inning after Hauser (16-2) scored its second run to cut the deficit to 4-2.
“You could just feel that the momentum was changing,” Brunner said. “I’m very, very proud. It was a good team win.”
In the bottom of the seventh, after Nading drew the walk, Kyra Meister hit single to put runners on first and second. Hannah Taylor then hit an RBI-single in right field. Meister gambled and took off for third, and the throw to the plate was not in the nick of time. With Meister running toward third, Taylor made a smart decision to run to second on the throw to third.
Then with runners on second and third, Dani Steward slapped an RBI-single to tie the game at 4-4, setting up Mack’s game-winning hit.
“We all feed off of each other’s energy, and it really helped us,” Mack said.
Taylor added, “Our energy was low in the beginning, but we came back, and Kylie Mack with that big hit, it was great.”
Greensburg got on the board in the top of the first when Melina Wilkison led off the game with a triple and scored from a ground out from Taylor Cooney. The Pirates took a 4-0 lead after two innings when Wilkison smacked a three-run homer in the top of the second.
Jets freshman pitcher Paige McDaniel was locked in the zone from that point forward, allowing only two hits the rest of the game and striking out 10 batters.
Steward went 3 for 4 with an RBI for Hauser. Mack was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI, and Hannah Johnson was 2 for 3 and scored two runs.
