Osage walks off Hampton-Dumont in extras
OSAGE — Never flinching, even after early adversity, the Osage softball team outlasted Hampton-Dumont for an 11-10, eight-inning win on Tuesday.
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After a lengthy battle, Victoria Schwarting’s RBI single with the bases loaded walked it off.
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Just two batters in, the Green Devils lost their starting pitcher, Ashley Halbach, but that only served to drive the Green Devils the rest of the way.
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Osage coach Ryan Huffman said that Halbach was going to be fine, the move was a cautionary measure, but it meant a lot of moving around and a hold up on the game that just began.
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“With the way my lineup is set, we had a lot of moving parts there,” Huffman said. “I have a lot of confidence in our young kids who are getting experience and that was a great moment for them to step up and do something on the fly.
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“It’s one thing before the game to be told, ‘hey, you’re going to be batting today,’ and then a couple of pitches in to move onto the field. Good credit to our players.”
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Mari Fox moved into the circle after initially only playing second base with Schwarting on to second base and Jaden Francis over at shortstop.
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Fox didn’t strike out many — two — but was effective enough to keep the Bulldogs at bay for four and two-thirds innings.
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“I’ve never put her in an easy spot when I took over three years ago,” Huffman said. “We only had a couple of pitchers in the program. She was an eighth grader. I pitched her against Central Springs and North Butler and she has continued to get better and a great example of how hard work pays off. We have all the confidence in the world whenever she is in the circle or Ashley is in the circle. We have a good pitching staff.”
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Each team broke through in the fifth, but while H-D struck for a run, the Green Devils used a lead-off hit by pitch, errors at second and right, followed by a single by Fox and double by Leah Grimm that momentarily gave the home team a 4-1 lead.
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The Bulldogs pulled to within 4-2 in the sixth, but Osage also added a couple more runs to lead 6-4 into the seventh.
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From there, the visitors sent 11 to the plate in the top of the inning, surprisingly so after getting the Bulldogs’ dangerous lead-off hitter and pitcher Avery Hanson to fly out.
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When the damage was done, Osage faced a 9-6 deficit.
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However, the Green Devils buckled down and also more than batted around to tie the score at 9-all.
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During that rally, Ainsley Dodd reached on an error at second, back-to-back singles by Schwarting and Emma Grimm and then a bases-clearing double by Sydney Muller.
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“(They) just don’t quit,” Huffman said. “I’m fortunate that we have a nice group of seniors here, five, who have all been a part of winning programs at our school and that will to make us win and be a great leader. Some of those clutch hits, you’ve got Ainsley Dodd, Tori Schwarting, Summer Collins, Leah Grimm, Emma Grimm behind the plate being able to handle both pitchers is outstanding.”
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Once again, the Bulldogs took a 10-9 lead in the eighth, but Osage had another answer that led to Schwarting’s walk-off hit.
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“That was crazy,” Huffman said. “They are a good team, well-coached. I’m sure they’ll do a lot of great things the rest of the year.”
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H-D/CAL00001171-10164
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Winning battery — Ashley Halbach, Mari Fox (1) and Emma Grimm. Losing battery — Avery Hanson and Aspen Harlan. Two or more hits — H-D (Harlan 4, Hanson 3, Kylee Whipple 3, Courtney Bower 3, Aubryee Showalter 3, Skyler Valley, Emma Showalter, Addy Showalter); O (Victoria Schwarting 3, Fox, Leah Grimm). 2B — H-D (Hanson, Valley, Ad. Showalter, Courtney Bower); O (L. Grimm, Schwarting, Sydney Muller). HR — H-D (Au. Showalter). SB — H-D (Au. Showalter); O (Sydney Muller). RBI — H-D (Au. Showalter 4, Ad. Showalter 3, Hanson, Trinity Swart); O (Summer Collins 2, L. Grimm 2, Schwarting 2, Muller 2, Ainsley Dodd).
