Lady Rockets come up just short against Highland
New Lisbon pitcher Haley Woggon, went 3-1 in the tournament for the Rockets giving up just five earned runs.
By David Paradise
Star-Times Sports Editor
The New Lisbon Rockets girls softball team hosted sectional action on Thursday.
The Rockets' first game of the day was in sectional semifinal action against the Independence/Gilmanton Indees.
New Lisbon got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Hilary Roscovius started the inning with a single and Kiley Costello hit an RBI double to give the Rockets an early 1-0 lead.
New Lisbon pitcher Haley Woggon, walked the first batter in the bottom of the second, but struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
The Rocket offense was able to manufacture a run in the top of the third. Danielle Berry singled, a Dominique Tafel bunt advanced Berry to second and Tanya Stickney was able to single with two outs, scoring Berry, and giving New Lisbon a 2-0 lead.
Woggon and the Rocket defense shut down the Indees in the bottom of the third. The Rockets couldn't get anything going in the fourth, and the Indees took advantage of a Rocket error, and scored four runs off three hits.
New Lisbon responded in the fifth. Woggon started the inning with a single, Berry added another single and Tafel added an RBI, as the Rockets scored twice to tie the game at 4-4.
The Rockets' defense held off the Indee offense in the bottom of the fifth, and the Rocket bats went back to work in the sixth.
Tricia Ritchart drew a walk from the Indee pitcher, Costello singled and Woggon drove in Ritchart as the Rockets regained the lead, 5-4.
The Indees couldn't get anything going in the second half of the sixth, as the Rockets took a 5-4 lead into the seventh and final inning. Berry started the inning with another single, and Stickney hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the Rockets up 7-4.
Woggon ended the game picking up her tenth strikeout, for the game's final out. Berry led the Rocket offense finishing the game 3x4, Stickney went 2x4 with three RBI's, and Woggon and Costello both finished 2x3.
The win over the Indees put the Rockets in the sectional final Thursday against the Highland Cardinals, who beat De Soto 5-1 in the other sectional semifinal in Necedah.
Sectional Final Action
Berry opened up the game against Highland with a single and, a Tafel bunt advanced Berry into scoring position, but the Cardinals were able to keep the Rockets off the scoreboard as Berry was tagged out sliding into home plate.
Woggon and the Rocket defense was able to shut down the Highland offense for the majority of the game. Highland didn't get a hit off Woggon until the sixth inning. Unfortunately the Rockets only managed two hits in the first six innings,
Berry's in the first and a Roscovius single in the second. Highland's offense threatened in the sixth, but Stickney made a quick throw from home to third and Roscovius was able to tag the runner, to end the Cardinals' threat.
Berry doubled to open the seventh inning for the Rockets, but was thrown out trying to steal home, to end the inning.
Highland's seventh inning ended when Tafel turned a double play, and gave the Rocket offense another opportunity, as the game entered extra innings, with the score tied 0-0. Ritchart tripled to start the eighth for the Rockets, and Melia Gegenfurtner reached second, but the Rockets couldn't get either runners home.
Highland drew two walks from Woggon to start the inning, but the Rocket defense was able to hold of the Cardinals and send the game to the ninth inning.
Stickney came to the plate for the Rockets with two outs in the ninth, and doubled to right, to give New Lisbon a runner in scoring position. Roscovius hit an RBI triple, to score Stickney as the Rockets scored the first run of the game and were just three outs away from a sectional championship and trip to state.
Highland doubled to start the second half of the ninth, and following a Rocket error, the Cardinals tied the game at 1-1. New Lisbon got an out, but an infield hit by the Cardinals, scored the winning run and ended the Rockets season.
"We had chances and they had chances, it was just a great softball game," New Lisbon coach John Costello said. "Our hats are off to them, but I give my girls a ton of credit. They just kept battleing and I'm so proud of them."
New Lisbon was led by Roscovius and Berry with two hits apiece. Woggon pitched all nine innings against Highland giving up just four hits and striking out four.
"The seniors have given everything I've asked and more, and they are the reason the program is where it is. They are a great group, and we got here because of their leadership."
The Rockets finished their season with a 19-5 record, with the five losses coming by a total of six runs.