Chaffee downs Van Buren to move into semis

Bedwell's key hit in the fifth lifts Lady Devils to win

sd_sports@yahoo.com

ORAN -- In what could have been her final game in a Chaffee uniform, senior Hannah Bedwell came up clutch right when the Lady Devils needed it.

With her team down 1-0 to Van Buren in the opening round of the Class 1, District Tournament, Bedwell kicked off a fifth inning rally by hitting a shot to left field to score Sierra Miller from second before crossing the plate herself for the game winner in what ended up being a 5-1 Lady Devil victory.

"It's not a surprise," Chaffee coach Shawn Powderly said. "She's been doing that for us for us for four years. Good for her to step up again. She usually does it for us."

With the above mentioned fifth inning and a three-run sixth, the Lady Devils more than made up for a frustrating start to the game.

Getting runners on in three of the first four innings, Chaffee saw their chance to jump out early come and go.

In both the first and third innings the Lady Devils were able to load the bases, but a strikeout in the first and a pop up followed by a ground out in the third left Chaffee empty handed.

Making matters urgent for Chaffee was the Lady Bulldogs pushing across their lone run of the night in the top of the third when Jessica Fisher led off frame with a base hit before a Brittany Hager doubled over the left fielder to bring Hager home.

After the Lady Devils stranded Hailey Enderle on third in the fourth, their offense was able to come around and save their season with the above mentioned fifth.

Batting around the order in the ensuing sixth, Chaffee added three more runs on three hits and two hit batters to give themselves a little breathing room.

"We started off really slow today," Bedwell said. "We should have jumped on this team early and gotten out in three innings, but we were able to pick it back up and come out with a win. Right now that all that matters."

Earning the win, starting pitcher Montana Estes went all seven innings for the Lady Devils. Allowing the one run, she gave up five hits without a walk while striking out six.

After allowing a base hit with out in the top of the sixth, Estes retired the final five batters of the night to secure the win.

Collecting eight hits as a team, Chaffee was led by Miller and Maria Smith at the plate as both girls went 2-for-3 in the contest.

Having not played in a week, Miller was happy to see the time off didn't effect her performance.

"I got hurt last Thursday so it was the first time I had swung a bat in a week so I was pretty nervous when I got up to bat," she said. "I was a little shaky at first, but I knew I could do it."

With the win, the Lady Devils are now set to play second-seed and host Oran today at 4 p.m.

"All of our players know all of theirs and vice versa," Powderly said of the two teams. "Everybody knows what to expect, it's just going to come down to who can come out and execute the best.

"Whether it's getting bunts down, throwing strikes or not giving up extra bases. It's the little things that going to win tomorrow."

Van Buren 001 000 0 - 1

Chaffee 000 023 x - 5

WP -- Montana Estes. LP -- Haley Burnham. Multiple hitters -- (V) Brittany Hager 2-3, Jessica Fisher 2-3; (C) Maria Smith 2-3. 2B -- (V) Hager; (V) Hailey Enderle. 3B -- (C) Sierra Miller.

Neelyville 5, Delta 1

ORAN -- After taking a quick one-run lead in the top of the first, Delta saw Neelyville go on to five unanswered runs to advance to the second round of the Class 1, District 1 Tournament with a 5-1 win.

Pitching all six innings, Myra Henson took the loss for the Lady Bobcats, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out two.

With four hits on the contest, Delta was led by Rachel Bartels, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles.

Delta 100 000 0 - 1

Neelyville 200 030 0 - 5

WP -- Hannah McDaniel. LP -- Myra Henson. Multiple hitters -- (D) Rachel Bartels 2-4; (N) Jackie Griffin 2-3, Caela Petty 2-3. 2B -- (D) Megan Perry, Petty 2.