SOUTH PARIS – If at first you don’t succeed, try something else.
After six innings of not figuring out Oxford Hills’ pitcher Randi Arsenault, Leavitt coach Pete Higgins knew he had to try something different.
Leavitt took advantage of a leadoff error in the seventh, then used the bunt to force across the game’s lone run as the unbeaten Hornets edged Oxford Hills 1-0 in KVAC softball action Friday.
“We had to create something,” Higgins said. “We had to get somebody on the base and we were trying to get a little bit of offense out of the bottom part of the lineup, and it worked out well.”
Alana Leonard opened the frame by reaching on an error and was replaced on the bases by Emily Page. Steph Healy laid down a sacrifice bunt to moved Page into scoring position. Beth Ellis’ bunt single put runners on the corners with one out, setting it up for Jess Paladino.
Paladino hit a grounder to short. Page beat the throw to the plate for the winning run.
“In a close game you can’t make an error like that,” said Oxford Hills coach Cindy Goddard. “Especially an error with the first batter on. Then they turned to the bunt.”
The miscue didn’t spoil what turned out to be a great pitching matchup between Arsenault and the Hornets’ Sam St. Hilaire. While Leavitt (14-0) had a baserunner in every inning but one, the sophomore Arsenault always pitched out of the jam.
Solid defense helped. After Hornets catcher Kristen Healy doubled in the fourth, she was caught between second and third and eliminated. In the fifth, Steph Healy was forced at second on a fielder’s choice.
Arsenault fanned six while walking two.
As good as Arsenault was, St. Hilaire was better. The southpaw allowed three baserunners – Lindsey Piirainen hit a pair of singles and Chelsea Cummings was hit by a pitch.
At one point St. Hilaire retired 14 in a row before Piirainen’s single to open the seventh. She struck out 14.
After the game, Higgins warned his team that close games like this would be more the norm late in the season.
“I think we’re going to be really strong defensively,” said St. Hilaire. “I am really happy with the way my team has pulled through.”
“Runs do get more scare,” said Higgins. “Teams get a little better and everybody’s playing well right now. We’ve been fortunate the last couple of games.”
For the Vikings (8-6), there was a message as well.
“We lost 12-0 in five innings last time,” said Goddard. “Our pitcher has improved a lot and she really held Leavitt today. Leavitt took it to us early in the year and now they can see they’ve come a long way. To go seven innings 1-0 with the No. 1 team, now they know anything can happen.”
pmullen@sunjournal.com
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