By BY TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – A seven run, nine hit sixth inning for the Buchanan varsity softball team gave the Lady Bucks a 9-2 Lakeland Conference win over Berrien Springs in game one of Tuesday afternoon's doubleheader.
Buchanan also scored a 4-2 win in the nightcap to take the sweep and improve to 5-5 in conference play and 13-9 overall. The Shamrocks drop to 5-5 in league play and 18-6 on the season.
Berrien took an early lead in the first game scoring two runs in the third on three hits with Stephanie Emhoff picking up the two RBIs with a single. From that point of the game winning pitcher Ashley Pointer held the Shamrocks to three hits.
Buchanan's big sixth started with a double by Alexis Lenox, Courtney Miller reached on error and Destyni Dolan's single tied the game at two. Another Shamrock error and a single by Taylor Krumrie loaded the bases for Emily Ross. Ross ripped a single and picked up two RBIs that gave the Lady Bucks a 4-2 lead.
With two outs, Holly Lucas pushed two more runs across with a double, and the Lady Bucks' lead continued to grow. Leading 6-2 the Lady Bucks weren't finished as another single, a Berrien error and a walk loaded the bags again for Dolan who punched a single to score her third and fourth RBI of the inning and a 9-2 advantage over the Shamrocks.
"We were hitting the ball well early but they were making the plays," Buchanan coach Mike Welsh said of the opening win. "Then we got a break. Something that usually happens to us happened to them and it opened the flood gates and then we just started hitting the ball real well."
Rachael Deitrich tripled to lead off the top of the seventh, but was left standing as the Lady Bucks picked up three outs on a pair of pop ups to Ross and a strike out by Pointer her third of the game.
Lyndsey Shembarger (5-5) took the loss for the Shamrocks.
Buchanan finished the game with 13 hits and completed the game without an error to help Pointer pick up her ninth win of the season.
Berrien took the early 2-0 lead in game two with the help of a Buchanan error, wild pitch and an RBI single by Ariel Zordell.
"When we are not hitting well any little mistake we make really looks big and we were able to come back. It's the home stretch now and we are down to 11 games left. It's time to start playing good ball," Welsh said.
This time, Buchanan didn't wait to get back into the game as they tied the game in the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Pointer and Lucas and a run scoring single by Lenox. Another run in the fifth gave the Bucks a 3-2 lead and they added an insurance run in the sixth on a double by Jayme O'Bryant and a run scoring single by Lenox.
Pointer improved to 10-8 with the win striking out nine and walking two. Lyndsey Shembarger (6-5) was tagged with the loss after coming in relief of her sister Kelsey after she took a sharp line drive off of her left ankle. Kelsey was able to return to the circle in the sixth inning.
Tuesday's game was the last home conference game for senior Ashley Pointer and she was recognized for her four years on the varsity team.
In her four years as pitcher for the Lady Bucks, Pointer has compiled a career record of 68 wins and 48 losses after Tuesdays sweep of the Shamrocks. Pointer is the daughter of David Pointer and Paul and Dianne Zielbauen and is currently planning on attending Tri-State University to study Civil Engenering.
Buchanan will host the Buck Classic 2 this Saturday with Bloomingdale, Bronson and River Valley coming in with the opening game starting at 9 a.m.
Game 1
Berrien Springs 002 000 0 – 2 6 2
Buchanan 000 009 X – 9 13 0
WP – Ashley Pointer
LP – Lyndsey Shembarger
Game 2
Berrien Springs 020 000 0 – 2 4 1
Buchanan 000 211 X – 4 7 3
WP – Pointer (10-8)
LP – K. Shembarger (6-5)
3B – Rachael Deitrich (BS)
2B – Ariel Zordell (BS)
Emily Ross (3-1B, 2 RBI), Holly Lucas (2-2B, 3 RBI) Jayme O'Bryant (2-1B, 1-2B), Alexis Lenox (1-2B, 2 1B, 2 RBI), Destyni Dolan (2-1B, 4 RBI), Kayla Nelson (2-1B), Taylor Krumrie (2-1B)