UMary Walks Off Roosevelt 2-1 Behind Strong Pitching and a Wild Ending in Viera
Arria Johnson and the Marauders Win a Close one over Roosevelt
The Mary Marauders took on the Roosevelt Lakers this evening in Melbourne, Florida, at the Space Coast Spring Games, and this one was a pitcher’s duel for the most part.
Arria Johnson took the circle for UMary and had a quick first inning, as the Lakers popped out in order. Riley Czarnecki then took the ball for Roosevelt in the bottom half, and after a quick first out, she battled with Jenel Mallari of UMary in an at bat that resulted in her first strikeout of the night.
Czarnecki then retired the side on a strikeout looking to Jianna Cota. She did a good job early on catching the inside and getting just enough of the zone for strikes.
Ava Kaspar led off the second inning with a rip to left and a single. She wasted no time jumping on that pitch and made the right call. She would make it to third on a couple of bad pitches that got away from Cota at catcher for UMary, but would not make it in to score after she was thrown out on a fielder’s choice. That was big for UMary as all harm was wiped away.
This game was a bit of a pitching clinic with nice infield work. Neither team could push anything solid together in the first couple of innings, and the Roosevelt Lakers’ infield was on the ball to give Czarnecki good trust in her defense.
Johnson got back to work in the top of the third and retired the side in order, including a strikeout to Caitlin Williams looking. The inside placement was good in this one, and hitters were unsure several times for called strikes.
UMary’s Janelle Bergmann got a base knock up the middle to lead off the bottom of the third and immediately moved to second on a wild pitch. The Marauders were in good position to take a lead in a game that had been all pitching and defense.
A sac bunt from Francesca Villaneda moved her to third, and that gave Cassidy Bagnell the opportunity to bring in the first run of the night. Czarnecki was in a jam with one out, and she answered with a huge strikeout to Bagnell for the second out, but a Kaitlyn McLaughlin infield hit that took a funny hop at the shortstop brought in Bergmann to give UMary a 1-0 lead.
That one run was looking big as Arria Johnson continued to spin it for the Marauders, keeping the Lakers stuck through the fourth. Most of her pitches ended in a pop out or groundout.
Czarnecki kept it down as well. A ton of groundouts on both sides, and you have to hand it to the infielders for being there to make the plays. For the most part, they were all on it except for one tricky hop.
Janelle Bergmann was the next person to see a base in the bottom of the fifth with a one out walk, but was erased at second on a Villaneda fielder’s choice. UMary still had the 1-0 lead and would have liked to punch in another for insurance, but Bagnell went down swinging for the third out on a Czarnecki ball down.
Johnson came back out for the sixth inning, still pitching a shutout and needing to accomplish just six more outs for the complete game shutout. However, Caitlin Williams would reach on a one out walk, stole second with Ella Dvoracek up to bat, and then came home as Rebecca Urbaniak placed an RBI single to shallow left to tie it at one apiece.
Now, the game was back even heading to the bottom of the sixth. For a game with minimal offense, the question was which side would break first. Czarnecki and the Lakers defense made quick work of the bottom half of the sixth. With the infield continuing to get a lot of work.
Sophia Barofsky came through with a two out single for the Lakers in the top of the seventh and was moved to second on an Isis Enriquez base hit. Barofsky came around on a Libby Kreykes hit to left, but was thrown out at the plate. That sparked an obstruction complaint from Lakers coach Michelle Alexander, but the call could not be reversed.
UMary would come to bat in the bottom of the seventh with a shot at the walk-off, and Genevieve Hastings led off by working a walk to put the winning run on, and then stole second with Daisy Sparrow up to bat.
Riley Czarnecki had pitched a good game for Roosevelt and had to find a way to get out of this one. Sparrow would attempt a bunt, but popped it up for out one. Then Ariana Retuta grounded out, with Hastings moving to third. Now, with a UMary winning run just sixty feet away, Czarnecki had to get one more out to extend the game, but Hastings came in from third on a passed ball that got away, and ball game.
That is how the game ended. UMary took this one 2-1. This game was mostly for the pitchers and defenses, and was one that had no room for error.
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