Flashback: Decatur comes from behind to defeat Reedsville

By Kenny Varner
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Updated: June 20, 2015

YEAGERTOWN – The Decatur girls softball team was looking to walk in the footsteps of its older sister team with picking up a victory.
Monday, the team went up a Reedsville Rockets team that were looking for a title of their own at Meadow Field in Yeagertown.
Reedsville gave Decatur everything it had but the girls from Decatur won in come-from-behind fashion, 11-10 for the victory.
“Well that last inning I was a little worried. They had their heads hanging low when they came in and I asked them if they wanted to continue this game and they showed the fighting spirit,” Decatur coach Matt Sheetz said. “They came out in the last inning and did what they had to do and got the job done. It was a heck of a game.”
The game was a double delight with a 7pm start that ended up moving into a rare under-the-lights title tilt.
In the top of the fifth, Decatur looked to have the game well in hand, leading 7-2.

However, the Rockets refused to go down without a fight.
Payton McClure led off the inning on a walk as did fellow batting mates Katie Riden and Olivia Fisher.
Lily Riden also reached base by using her patience, walking as well.
McClure’s speed on the base paths allowed her to steal her way from second to home, making it 7-3.
Both found their ways home via clutch hits from Janae Potutschnig and Megan Olson, cutting it to just a two run advantage.
Maddie McCorter highlighted the inning with an RBI double in the depths of centerfield.
Olson later scored from third, ending their part with a 5-run inning, tying things at seven.
Defensively in the bottom of the inning, Reedsville set Decatur down in order, sending the game into the final inning, Tied at seven.
Reedsville added three runs as Morgan Bowersox, Bailey McNitt and McKenna Bulick all reached on walks.
Bowersox scurried around base and stole home, giving the Rockets the lead for the first time, 8-7.
With two outs, McClure launched a 2-run double, sending the home team into its last at bats, trailing by three.
Decatur’s patience at the plate helped them in its final at bats as Kendall Cavanaugh led off the inning with a walk.
After a stolen base to second, she moved to third on a single by Hailee Sheetz.
Jaime Shilling took one for the team, as she was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
An RBI single by Rynna Smith, cut the deficit to 10-8 with no one out.
Still with the bases loaded Tru Bumgardner brought in a teammate on a walk, continuing to close the gap on Reedsville.
Sadie Fike’s walk late in the inning, allowed her team to walk in the tying run with still nobody out.
Reedsville’s defense shut down the next two batters but Tosha Shirk brought the championship game to an end as she hustled out an infield hit with the bases loaded, ending the game at 11-10.
“I’m very proud of how the kids played. It’s been a long hard journey,” Reedsville manager Casey Yoder said. “I was determined to get back here since I missed it last year being on vacation. But I am very proud of the girls. They did a heck of a job and hats off to Decatur.”
Decatur led off the game posting two runs in the first inning after holding Reedsville scoreless.
Reedsville came back to cut the lead in half in the second when McNitt got on base via a walk and stole her way around the bases, including home.
The big inning for Decatur came in the third, posting a 5-run inning and giving themselves a seemingly comfortable 7-2 lead after Reedsville tied the game earlier in the inning.
Despite both teams having 5-run innings to take the lead, none of them lasted and when a big inning was needed, Decatur had what it took to eek out the 11-10 victory.