No. 7 Eastern Tech softball wins battle of unbeatens against No. 15 Perry Hall, 7-4
Both managers in Monday’s early-season softball showdown of unbeaten teams — Eastern Tech and Perry Hall — said the game was a measuring stick for how far their teams had come.
Eastern Tech’s Sidney Weaver made sure someone needed a measuring tape.
The senior hit a two-run homer over the left-field fence on 3-2 pitch in the fifth inning to break up a tie game and give host Eastern Tech a lead it never relinquished in a 7-4 win over Perry Hall in a key Baltimore County game.
Weaver had four RBIs and two hits on the day to lead the Mavericks (5-0). Riley Kitchin and Jenna Neff each had two RBIs to lead Perry Hall (5-1).
“I knew I had a job going up there,” said Weaver, a senior. “I’m pretty sure it was Gracie [Himmelman] on base, and I knew I had to get her in somehow. I just kind of used my mechanics, and I hit it out.”
The home run broke open a tight game where the fifteenth-ranked Gators pushed Eastern. The Gators had three hits and numerous baserunners in the early innings, and finally took advantage of that when Neff doubled in the third inning, scoring Kylie Smith and Alyssa Lewis to give Perry Hall a 2-0 lead.
Seventh-ranked Eastern Tech wasted little time getting even. Himmelman doubled to put two runners on before Weaver popped out to left, scoring Erica Young to cut the margin to 2-1. With one out, Audrey Coker grounded out to score Himmelman and tie the game.
After the third inning, Eastern Tech coach Giselle Alvarez removed her starter, Layla Bugarini, in favor of sophomore Shawna Dyer. She recorded a clean inning in the top of the fourth. In the fifth, Perry Hall’s Alyssa Lewis tripled with one out, but Dyer buckled down and got Riley Kitchin to pop out and Neff to strike out to strand Lewis on third.
Eastern took its first lead of the game with the Weaver home run, and Dyer just continued to get better. She recorded another clean inning in the top of the sixth to hold the 4-2 lead.
The Mavericks broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. Maddie Bohart led off with a single, and Neff came in to pitch for Perry Hall. After she retired the next two batters, Weaver doubled to score Bohart for a 5-2 lead. Coker singled in the next at bat, scoring Himmelman and Weaver to run the lead to 7-2.
Dyer did give up two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but shut down Perry Hall before it could get any closer.
“This was a game that I knew would push us and show us where we stood,” Alvarez said. “This is just the first step. We are both two competitive programs, and I love how competitive this game was. They are trying to make a statement in this league, but we are still Eastern Tech.”
Perry Hall coach Denny Lee said this game will be a learning experience for his team.
“They hit the ball well,” Lee said “We had two errors that cost us, but I think [Starter] Emma [Kitchin] pitched well, and then Jenna followed her up. Sidney Weaver hit a good shot over the fence, and I can’t wait until they have to come visit us in a few weeks.”
Perry Hall — 002 000 2 – 4 7 2
Eastern Tech — 002 023 X – 7 9 0
WP – S. Dyer; LP – A. Kitchin
2B: PH – Neff; ET – Himmelman, Weaver, Dyer. Triple: PH – Lewis. Home run : ET – Weaver.