| Bowling Greens Casey Akenberger (Photo: Andrew Weber/Sentinel-Tribune) |
WHITEHOUSE — Bowling Green’s softball team had defending Northern Lakes League champion Anthony Wayne
right where it wanted on Wednesday. PHOTO GALLERY
Unfortunately
for the Bobcats, they couldn’t finish the job.
The Generals scored twice in the sixth and two more times in the the seventh to come back from a
three-run deficit and post a 5-4 victory.
With the win AW stays perfect at 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the NLL. BG drops to 6-5, 2-2.
“Obviously Anthony Wayne is a tough team. They’ve got hitters all through the lineup. We knew we couldn’t
let down on them. They just kept battling,” BG coach Jim Cress said.
“But our girls, we have such talent, such enthusiasm and ability this year. We just don’t think we get a
lot of respect in the league, and we have a very competitive team,” Cress added. “This proves it …
It’s obviously a tough loss. The girls battled. They hit the ball well. They played really great
defense. We left it on the field.”
AW’s deep lineup finally got to BG starter Casey Akenberger on a cold and blustery day with strong winds
blowing out to center field.
Sarah Bores’ sacrifice fly brought home Dana Gill for the winning run, as the Generals recorded five of
their six hits in the last two innings.
“That’s not my favorite way, but it shows that the game’s not over until it’s over,” AW coach Carolyn
Vogtsberger said. “Knowing that, we didn’t quit. We put a rally together there in the bottom of the
seventh. We’ll take whatever we can get right now.”
BG appeared on its way to the upset, scoring single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings
to build a 4-1 lead. The Bobcats had 10 hits off AW starter Emily Kurfis, who improved to 8-0 on the
season.
Allie Smith’s single drove in Becca Ruehl to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the second. After AW’s Nicole
Del Monte hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to tie the game, BG’s Hayley Williford drilled
a double to score Akenberger and give the Bobcats the lead back at 2-1 in the third.
Kara Maxey’s leadoff home run to start the fourth pushed the lead to 3-1, and Williford drove in Lily
Murnen with a single in the fifth for BG’s final run.
BG was coming off a 2-0 loss to Southview on Friday, after defeating another league contender Springfield
last Wednesday.
“(The NLL coaches) rate all the teams and anybody who doesn’t rate (BG) high, I don’t know what they’re
thinking, because they’ve beat Springfield. They basically had us today,” Vogtsberger said. “They hit
the ball. Their pitcher keeps everybody off-balance. That’s a good ball team. I credit them. They had us
right where they wanted us.”
Akenberger was cruising through a tough AW lineup, retiring 11 consecutive batters at one point before
AW’s offense came alive in the sixth.
Flex player Marie Hoffman came in to hit for herself and hit a bloop double down the left-field line and
then advanced to third on a wild pitch. A ground out to first scored Hoffman before Brianna Megyesi
drilled a solo homer to cut the lead to 4-3. After a two-out single by AW’s Jamie Westenkirchner, BG’s
Smith made a nice catch at the wall to end the seventh that would have likely tied the game for AW.
But in the seventh AW completed the comeback, with Del Monte reaching with a one-out single. Gill
followed with a single and then back-to-back walks forced in the tying run. Bores followed with the
sacrifice fly to right which was caught in foul territory but deep enough to score the winning run.
“Every team in our league is tough. This is what happens. Everybody beats up on everybody and the winner
never goes undefeated,” Vogtsberger said. “We were lucky today. We were more lucky than anything else.”
Akenberger went the distance for BG, allowing the six hits with six strikeouts and two walks. She also
led the Bobcats at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
“Casey did a great job. She placed pitches really well,” Cress said. “They do have a great lineup. I
think they just kept putting the ball in play. They’re an experienced hitting team, well-coached, and
that’s why they’re at the top of the league right now.”
Williford finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in, while Ruehl also went 2-for-3. Maxey
finished 1-for-2 with the home run and a sacrifice bunt.
The Bobcats host NLL opponent Rossford on Monday.
“We’re with these teams … We have the ability to be right up there at the top of the league,” Cress
said. “Some other teams are starting to see that I think. We’re an improving program.
“But the disappointing thing for these girls is that they know right now with a little break here or
there, we could be 4-0 in the league right now instead of 2-2,” he added. “But we have a second round
with all of these teams, and we’re going to come back at them at home and we’re going to give them our
best shot. If things work well we’re going to be right there.”
SOFTBALL
ANTHONY WAYNE 5, BGHS 4
BGHS
011
110
0—4
10
ANTHONY WAYNE
010
002
2—5
6
BATTING LEADERS
HITS — (BG) Akenberger 4, Williford 2, Ruehl 2, Maxey, Smith; (AW) Del Monte 2, Megyesi, Westenkirchner,
Gill, Hoffman. 2B — (BG) Akenberger, Williford; (AW) Hoffman. HR — (BG) Maxey; (AW) Del Monte, Megyesi.
RUNS — (BG) Akenberger, Murnen, Ruehl, Maxey; (AW) Del Monte 2, Megyesi, Gill, Hoffman. RBI — (BG)
Williford 2, Smith, Maxey; (AW) Del Monte, Bores, Megyesi, Hoffman, Bores. SAC — (BG) Maxey. SAC FLY —
(AW) Bores. DP — Anthony Wayne 1. LOB — Bowling Green 4, Anthony Wayne 3.
PITCHING SUMMARY
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
BGHS
Akenberger (LP)
6 2?3
6
5
5
2
6
ANTHONY WAYNE
Kurfis (WP)
7
10
4
4
9
