Rumbolt's Bloop Single Lifts HV Over Everett
ADAMS, Mass. — For much of the 2012 season, the Hoosac Valley softball team has been forced to settle with hard-fought games that ended in heartbreaking fashion. The Hurricanes lost five games by two runs or less, a major reason why they stumbled to an 0-6 record to start the season.Hoosac got one of those games back on Wednesday, however, using a bloop single by junior Tori Rumbolt in the bottom of the 10th inning to pull out a 2-1 extra-inning win over Mount Everett. Classmate Carly Kondel started the frame off with a base hit to right field and later moved to third base on a bunt single by sophomore Kassandra Kazimierczak. The Eagles allowed Kazimierczak to steal second base and then intentionally walked Sabrina Sommer (2-for-4 with a walk) to load the bases with no outs.
Rumbolt then stepped up to the plate and blooped her second hit of the day over the drawn-in Everett infield to shallow right, scoring Kondel to give the Hurricanes (3-7) their third win in four games and their first extra-inning victory in three tries this season.
"Finally, a game that went our way in extra innings," Hoosac head coach Morgan Shafer said. "It was mainly a pitchers' duel between [Alicia] Bazonski and [Caroline] Tomkowicz for most of the game. Both teams got on base but couldn't produce any runs after the fourth inning. We got out of a bind in the top of 10th when Tori made a great double play to shut them down and end the inning."
Rumbolt made an error on a ground ball at short to give the Eagles (7-4) runners on first and second base with one out in the top of the 10th. She responded in the next play, however, by fielding a grounder, tagging the runner going to third base and stepping on the bag at second to cap off the double play. Rumbolt also tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, reaching base on an infield single and later scoring on an error by the Everett infield.
Claire Tomich gave the visitors a 1-0 lead a half inning earlier when she reached base with a single to right field. She then stole second base before a fielder's choice allowed her to advance to third. Tomich would score on a wild pitch, the lone blemish on an otherwise terrific day for 'Caners starter Caroline Tomkowicz. The sophomore hurler allowed one unearned run on four hits to improver her record to 3-1 this season. Tomkowicz went the full 10 innings, striking out 12 and walking two.
Bazonski also had a solid game in defeat, allowing one earned run on eight hits. She also went the distance, fanning 11 batters and allowing two walks.
Hoosac is back in action again on Thursday, with a road game against Renaissance at 4 p.m.