WOOLRICH - The Jersey Shore/JSV softball team got off to an ominous start - being in a 4-0 hole after the bottom of the first.
And the ending?
Well, no matter how bad the start may be, a victory is always sweet and Jersey Shore tasted success.
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Clinton’s Megan Heverly catches the ball as Jersey?Shore/GSV’s Ashlynn Wool reaches third base. Jersey Shore downed Clinton, 16-6, in Woolrich.
Not only did JS win the game but it won in style, 10-run ruling the girls of Clinton 16-6.
"When we were down 4-0 after the top half of the first inning we weren't too worried because, we knew we had the bottom of the first to make up for it," Jersey Shore Manager Charlie Spotts said. "We knew coming into the game that these girls had the ability to get going offensively. Through our practices they doing well and we felt pretty confident about how they would perform the story."
The resiliency of Spotts squad showed.
His team was able to nullify that four-run deficit, evening up the score at four heading into the second.
Jersey Shore pitcher Anne Weller struggled at the mound starting the game but after the frustration subsided Weller was locked in.
With two outs in the top of the second Weller let a pitch get away from her catcher Madison Knepp but just a few seconds later, she made up for it. Knepp eventually grasped control of the ball, flipped it to Weller and she got the tag down just in time on a runner stealing for home to end keep the scored locked at four.
Weller was able to carry that momentum back to the mound for the third inning as she struck out three batters, keeping Clinton at bay.
"We just kept on forcing the fact that she had to find her release point," Spotts said. "We wanted her to relax, have fun and just focus on getting the ball in the mitt of Madison, our catcher."
By the end of the fourth inning Jersey Shore was rolling and extended its lead to 11-5.
"A lot of things went wrong, but the simple answer is that we just forgot our fundamentals," JSV assistant manager Chris Smith said.
The game couldn't have ended in a more exciting fashion.
With two players on base, Aubrie Hartman stepped to the plate and belted the ball down the right-field line.
Her hit got past the right-fielder and Hartman was off to the races. In the blink of an eye she was around third and the throw to home didn't stand a chance getting there before the speedster. Hartman's inside-the- park home run made the score 16-6.
Just like that, the game was over.
"She (Hartman) is just a very good player. She tries to keep things light, she's always laughing and she just had a great game today," Spotts said.
The Clinton will have a shot at redemption on Friday when they meet up with Jersey Shore once again. The game will be played in Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport at 6 p.m.
