MAY 2, 2011 - COVINGTON
Covington's Connor Schaeffer had a hard time catching up to the heat Twin Valley South's Emily Fremont was throwing Monday night, but hung tough and finally took advantage of a mistake.

With the game tied at 5-5 after Twin Valley South scored two runs in the top of the seventh, Schaeffer strolled to the plate to lead off the inning - only after going 0-for-3 in her previous at bats against the Panther hurler.

Schaeffer whiffed on the first two pitches and took a ball on the third pitch to fall behind 1-2 in the count.

The fourth pitch thrown by Fremont was in Schaeffer's wheel house, a chest high fast ball that the sophomore crushed over the the left field fence for the walk-off home run.

"Connor struggled at the plate the entire game," described Covington coach Dean Denlinger. "But she fought through that and took advantage of the situation. She (Fremont) threw a 1-2 fast ball right over the middle of the plate and Connor made her pay."

It salvaged an impressive performance by the Lady Buccs, who had built a 4-1 lead through four innings.

But Fremont, who is one of the premier pitchers in the state of Ohio, also has a huge stick. The junior got the Panthers back into the game with one swing in the top of the fifth - a two run home run off of Covington starter Chloe Shell that cleared the left field fence by a good twenty or thirty feet.

"She's a very nice player," Denlinger said of Fremont. "Really, that's a very nice team and they are very well coached. All the respect goes out to them."

Shell threw a solid game over six and a third innings, striking out six and allowing just the one walk.

"I know Chloe was disappointed (after the home run)," Denlinger said. "That's the type of competitor she is, but she threw a very nice game under the weather conditions."

Covington tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth as Brittany Flora scored on a passed ball to make the score 5-3 in favor of the home team.

But good teams always find a way to give themselves a chance and that's what Twin Valley South did in the top of the seventh by scoring two runs and having runners at second and third with one out.

Aubrye Cain entered the game to replace Shell and recorded the two outs Covington needed to get out of the jam and give itself its own chance in the bottom of the seventh.

Which is when Schaeffer stepped up into the role of hero.

"We faced some adversity and responded well," said Denlinger. "We were up for the challenge. They (the Panther dugout) were loud over there too. I think we took the wind out of their sails when Connor hit the home run."

Both teams hit the ball hard all night as Covington racked up 10 hits and Twin Valley South had nine hits.

"We don't have ten hits tonight against a pitcher like that if we don't face the two teams we played this weekend (Fairborn and Centerville)," Denlinger stated. "That's why we play the schedule we play and do the things we do. It makes us a better softball team."

And Covington did it in nasty weather conditions as the entire game was played with a steady drizzle.

"Basically we hit the ball well off of a really nice pitcher," Denlinger continued. "I thought we played well considering the conditions. It was raining the whole time."

For Covington, Jessie Shilt was 2-for-2 with two RBI; Aubrye Cain went 2-for-4; Casey Yingst went 2-for-4 with a triple and one RBI; Hannah Pond went 1-for-3; Brittanie Flora went 2-for-3; and Connor Schaeffer went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI and the walk-off home run.

The win improves Covington's record to 18-3 overall and 10-0 in the CCC.

A huge showdown with Newton is slated for tomorrow night in Covington - weather permitting.

"I know the forecast doesn't look promising, but hopefully we can get that game in," said Denlinger. "I know they feel the same way. It will be a good one."

SCORING BY INNINGS:
TVS …………0..1..0..0..2..0..2 - 5 - 9 - 0
COV ………..1..0..2..1..0..1..1 - 6 - 10 - 1