Glenelg softball can’t hold late lead, falls to Walkersville, 6-4, in regional final
For the third consecutive season, the Walkersville softball team is headed back to the Class 2A state tournament.
Facing elimination in the seventh inning against Glenelg, the Lions roared back, scoring five runs to earn a 6-4 victory and win the Class 2A West Region I championship.
“It feels good,” Walkersville coach Randy Hinkleman said. “This is the third year in a row we’ve been able to win regionals. So hats off to these girls and Glenelg obviously gave us a heck of a game this year and last year. So for us it is one game at a time.”
Starting pitcher Izzy Dietrich continued her strong junior season by grinding out the victory for the Lions. She pitched a complete game for Walkersville, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five. She also benefitted her own cause, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.
“Phenomenal,” Hinkleman said of Dietrich’s performance against Glenelg. “She went the distance for us today and she’s become the horse for us. I look forward to seeing what she can do for us at states.”
Walkersville will play in the Class 2A state quarterfinals at a date and an opponent to be determined.
In the top of the seventh inning with Glenelg up 3-1, after Walkersville’s Anna Shaw and Montgomery reached base on consecutive singles to start the inning and Hailey Putnam lined a single into center field, scoring Swann. Karsyn Barrick then leveled the score with a single of her own, scoring Montgomery. Caitlin Hinkelman put the Lions ahead for good, hitting a three-run double to center that scored Montgomery, Putnam and Barrick.
Walkersville expanded its lead to 6-3 with Karen Obando’s sacrifice fly to center. Courtesy runner Ashley Fraley sprinted home after tagging to give the Lions a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
“We are battle-tested, we played a tough schedule [this season],” Hinkleman said. “We had a great come-from-behind win on Monday [against Century] and a come-from-behind win in the Frederick County CMC Championships about two weeks ago. [Our hitters have] been in that spot before so they believe in each other and to be able to come out and put the hits together like they did in the seventh was phenomenal.”
Glenelg attempted to mount its own comeback in the final half-inning with Kaylee Brogan’s one-out single scoring Addison Pence. But Dietrich and the Walkersville defense held on, forcing groundouts by Shaw and Duignan to hold on for the win.
“When they got back to top [of their order], I was nervous,” Hinkleman said. “The top of their lineup is devastating. They run well and they hit well. So, to get out of that inning felt really good.”
After a quiet first inning, the Walkersville bats broke through in the second. Singles from sisters Caroline and Caitlin Hinkleman put runners on first and second against Gladiators starting pitcher Bella Wisienewski. Obando walked and Dietrich’s sac fly gave Walkersville’s a 1-0 lead.
Glenelg kept is cool, focusing on getting hits and getting runners on base. It paid off in the fourth. After Jamie Shaw and Matte Duignan reached on back-to-back singles, Reese Holden walked to load the bases with no outs.
The Gladiators’ good fortunes continued with the next batter, Rylie Thomas, who hit a hard ground ball to Tigers shortstop Elissa Montgomery. While Montgomery collected the ball, her throw to second sailed over second basemen Barrick, scoring Shaw and Duignan. Glenelg stretched its lead to 3-1 in the inning when Madison Stouffer’s grounder scored Holden on a fielder’s choice.
The Lions didn’t make things easy for the Gladiators. With two outs in the sixth inning, both Caroline Hinklemann and Obando reached base on singles. However, Wisniewski stayed composed, forcing Dietrich to pop out to end the inning.
Walkersville — 010 000 5 — 6
Glenelg — 000 300 1 — 4
WP: Dietrich; LP: Wisiniewski