Eagle uprising downs Edgewood

BOB ETTINGER
Star Beacon

May 09, 2008 02:33 am

— The difference between a win and a loss in a close softball game might just be one team believing in itself instead of having doubts. That was very much the case for Geneva as it knocked off Edgewood, 1-0, on Thursday.
“It was a great game,” first-year Geneva coach Roberta Cozad said. “When Brittany Stevenson opened the game with a hit, they were excited. They were excited all week. It wasn’t like at the beginning of the season when it was, ‘Oh, we have to play Edgewood.’ They couldn’t wait to play Edgewood.
“They’re finally believing they can win games.”
It was the second consecutive loss for Edgewood (14-3, 8-2), following a 5-0 loss at Jefferson on Tuesday.
“The kids played the way I feel,” Edgewood coach Shelley Monas said. “The kids were flat. We gave the game away. I don’t think I’ve ever lost two games in a row in all my years.”
With the loss on Thursday, the Warriors and Falcons (14-5, 7-2) are tied in the loss column in the NEC standings. Edgewood, six-time defending NEC champs, has to play Harvey twice and the Falcons have two contests with Conneaut and another with the Eagles remaining in their league schedule.
“We have to take care of business against Harvey,” Monas said. “When we didn’t take care of Jefferson, I told the girls this was not the position we want to be in. We don’t want to be in a position where we’re looking for somebody else to knock off Jefferson.
“It is what it is.”
The Eagles (10-10, 6-5) have now won six straight and are using that steam as fuel.
“A couple of weeks ago, we played a tournament at Gilmour,” Cozad said. “We didn’t win, but the bats finally started to move. We were in a bad slump. We may have lost, but I wasn’t upset or angry... everyone got the bat on the ball. That gave them confidence. They were comfortable up there in the box.”
Stevenson singled up the middle to lead off the home half of the sixth for Geneva. The area’s leader in stolen bases pilfered second with a hook slide on a missed sacrifice bunt attempt by Brittany Powers.
“I thought it was close,” Stevenson said. “But when I asked people later, they said I had it. I’ve been trying to do a hook slide so it’s not as close (of a play). I think it helped (me get in there safely).”
“Stevenson had a nice hit up the middle and on the first pitch (to Powers) we threw a pitchout,” Monas said. “(Catcher) Liz (Wilson) threw a strike (to second) but she was called safe. The ball was there, but we didn’t get the call.
“She made a nice retreat slide. It’s those little things that make the big difference.”
Powers moved Stevenson to third with a ground ball to Edgewood shortstop Katie McMellen. Geneva pitcher Meagan Brookes then drew a walk, with ball four sailing over Wilson’s head, allowing Stevenson to score from third for the game’s only run.
“There wasn’t a doubt I was going to score,” Stevenson said. “I was nervous (when I reached base). I didn’t want to get cut down at first or second.”
“I don’t what the heck happened,” Monas said. “There was a 3-2 count. (Dragon) got behind (Brookes). She threw two in the dirt. They happened to score there.”
Brookes (9-8) struck out nine, walked one and hit a batter in a three-hit gem for the Eagles.
“Everyone was behind her today,” Cozad said. “She felt comfortable in knowing that. She changed her pitches around a lot. Meagan likes to throw the rise ball all the time.
“If you get ahold of that rise ball, it goes a ways. Today, she kept them guessing. The only two people that knew what was coming were (Brookes) and (catcher) Shannon (Cummings).”
Dragon (11-1) was nearly as good in the loss, her first of the season. She struck out 10, walked one and allowed four hits and an earned run.
The Warriors threatened on a couple of occasions, but couldn’t come up with the necessary hit.
“You can’t win games with only three hits,” Monas said of her squad, which had only two hits in Tuesday’s loss at Jefferson. “We had our opportunities. We just didn’t get timely hitting. They didn’t (get timely hitting, either), but they took advantage of the opportunity.”
In the fourth, with two outs and the speedy McMellen at second, Dragon hit what appeared to be a single to right. With McMellen angling to score, Geneva right fielder Brittney Hayes threw a strike to get Dragon at first to end the inning.
“I knew I was going to throw to first before she hit it,” Hayes said. “The girls at second base was fast and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get her at home. I knew I had a better chance of getting Megan at first.”
“Katie was practically home,” Monas said. “(Hayes) threw Megan out at first.”
An inning later, Brookes hit the Warriors’ Sam Kalil with a pitch to lead off the inning and Jordyn Cicon followed with a one-out double to put Warriors at second and third.
But Brookes took matters into her own hands, fanning the next two Edgewood batters to end the threat with no damage done.
“As an athlete myself, I know full well when you do something wrong, you know yourself you’ve done something wrong,” Cozad said. “I try not to pour salt in the wound. I try and stay positive.
“(Brookes) has pitched hard all season. She did not buckle under the pressure.”

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