With 2 victories last night over Clear Channel, The Company Softball Team is now 3 & 3.

Slated to pitch game 1 of last night’s double header, Ryan Sutphin arrived at the field (armed with a full tank of gas) just in time to lace up his cleats and take the mound in the first inning.  Both offenses were able to push runs across the plate in the first inning and the game would turn out to be a back-and-fourth battle.

Entering the top of the fourth, Clear Channel had pulled ahead 9-8 and by this time the umpire had already declared this the last inning of game 1.  Sutphin, in his own personal pursuit to shut down Clear Channel’s offense, wiped the sweat from his brow and used the defense to his advantage.  At bat in the bottom of the last, The Company found themselves in position to take game 1; needing one run to tie and two to win.  Jon Deutsch reached first on a fielder’s choice single and Laurie Huebner moved him around to third with an infield single of her own.  Next up, Steve Pauli is at bat. He cracked a double to score Deutsch, tying the game at 9-9, and leaving Huebneron third with a chance to win the ball game.  With the winning run on third, an unsuspecting Lauren Tipton came to the plate.  Without full knowledge of the situation, and still pissed off about the gnat that flew into her eye earlier in the game, Tipton came through with an infield single. Huebner scored from third and The Company earned the win.  (W, 10-9)

Game 2 shortly followed; Jesse Holzbach took the mound for his first start of the season and Clear Channel came out eager to avenge the game 1 loss.  As we entered the top of the fourth, Clear Channel has a commanding 9-3 lead; but our offense pushed across 4 runs that inning and headed back out to take the field. The Company was determined to prove that game 1 was not fluke and needed 3 quick outs to earn another round of at bats.  With time winding down, Holzbach, Pauli, and Miller turned a quick 1-6-3 double play just in time to start a new inning. The Company, now swinging a hot bat, scored 3 runs in the top of the last to take a 10-9 lead. Clear Channel fell 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the fifth to give The Company their second comeback win of the night.  (W,10-9)

Other notable mentions include: Brittany Collins 6-7 night at the plate, which included a triple and 4 runs scored – not to mention the double play she turned in game 1 that the umpire missed; Michelle Miller’s stellar defense at first base, which dug us out of more than one hole last night (pun intended); and lastly Bryn Sartain’s glove work at third base, which kept more than one hot shot on the infield and held doubles to singles.