BY ROB KISER, PIQUA DAILY CALL

APRIL 9, 2010 - TROY
About the only mistake the Miami East softball team made all night was missing on an attempt to dump the Gatorade bucket on coach BrianKadel.

And Avoiding the ice shower after an impressive display in a 3-1 win over Covington — was probably a good thing for Kadel, considering the temperature.

It was a game where Miami East took advantage of nearly every opportunity on the bases and thwarted most of the Lady Buccs chances.

"We talk to the kids about making things happen on the bases," Miami East coach Brian Kadel said. "On defense, we just want to avoid giving up the big play. We are not going to panic if one or two girls get on base."

It was a winning formula at Duke Park Friday.

"They beat us at our game," Covington coach Dean Denlinger said. "We had two errors on the infield and two balls that should have been caught. Our defense is usually a strength and it let us down tonight."

The first inning was a sign of things to come.

After arriving late because its bus broke down on the trip over, it looked like Covington was going to get off to a fast start.

Aubrye Cain started the game with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Pond.

Sarah Westfall followed with a sharp single to center. Cain had to hold up to see if the ball would be caught and stopped at third. But, Miami East pitcher Sarah Heffelfinger got a pop out and strikeout to end the threat.

"We were in the driver's seat there," Denlinger said. "Maybe, I should have played small ball in that situation, but I didn't."

Then the Lady Vikings used the speed of Kristy Brown for a two-out rally in the home first.

After the first two batters were out, Brown hit a looper behind second base that fell. She stole second and went to third when the ball popped out of the catcher's glove on a pitch.

Brittany Garrison hit a hard grounder down the first base line. First Aubrye Cain dived for the ball, but it got past her. Second baseman Heidi Snipes fielded the ball, but Garrison beat her to the bag at first, with Brown scoring.

"It looked like Covington was going to go up on us (in the top of the first)," Kadel said. "The first inning definitely gave us some momentum."

Covington was able to tie the game in the fourth. Westfall, continuing to swing a hot bat, doubled and courtesy runner Emily Hicks scored on Carol Bayse's RBI single.

But, the opportunistic Vikings answered in the bottom of the fourth. Garrison had a one-out single, went to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Jeni Accurso hit a shot off Snipes' glove at second.

Accurso stole second. Covington threw down to the shortstop and when the throw got away, Garrison hustled home.

"We just didn't play defense like we normally do," Denlinger said.

The Lady Vikings added an insurance run in the sixth. Brown singled, stole second and scored on Garrison's third hit of the game.

With two on and no out, Chloe Shell came in for Halley Roberts and got three outs to end the rally.

Roberts struck out eight, while allowing seven hits, also hitting one batter. Shell retired all three batters she faced, including onestrikeout.

"(Halley) Roberts pitched well enough to win," Denlinger said. "I thought she had a strong game. We just have to play better defense."

Kadel agreed.

"Their pitchers did a nice job," he said. "They hit their zones and kept us on our front foot all night."

Covington didn't go down without a fight in the seventh. Connor Schaeffer had a single and Snipes was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out.

But, Heffelfinger, who scattered five hits and had three strikeouts, got a pop up and strikeout to end it.

"They say good things happen to good people," Kadel said. "There is not a better person than Sarah (Heffelfinger). She has waited for her opportunity and as a senior, to pitch a great game against a good team like Covington, that was great for her."

Brown added two hits for Miami East, while Westfall had two hits for Covington.

"We are a young team and we are not going to get discouraged by this," Denlinger said. "Out pitching was there. I used two freshman in the seventh inning. That is how much confidence I have in them. We have competition at every position, which is a good thing.

"You have to give Miami East credit. They are a well-coached team. I coach basketball over there, so I know all the girls and what they can do."

And while it was both team's second game in the CCC, it was a big win for East.

"Last year, we lost to Ansonia and beat Covington on the way to the conference title," Kadel said. "We have a long way to go, but this was an important win."

And avoiding the ice shower at the end probably made the ride home more enjoyable.

LINESCORE
Covington ......000..100..0 — 1 5 2
Miami East .....100..101..x — 3 7 0

Roberts, Shell (6) and Westfall. Heffelfinger and Accurso. WP-Heffelfinger.
LP-Roberts. 2B-Covington: Roberts.

Records: Miami East 6-1 (2-0), Covington 7-2 (1-1).