By Kim J. Harmon
By Kim J. Harmon
Bases loaded, no outs, leading by just four runs â that is the situation that was facing Jenna Van Waalwijk of The Quiet Company as she toed the slab in the top of the fifth inning in the Babe Ruth Softball Girlsâ U12 National League Championship at Treadwell Park on Monday.
Bases loaded.
No outs.
And her team clinging to a four-run lead.
But as if this was not a pressure-packed situation and the fate of the championship trophy did not rest on what happened next, Van Waalwijk retired the first batter on a come backer to the mound, induced the following batter to sky a pop up to shortstop Kate Kokoski, and then (after throwing a wild pitch that did score one run for Northern Woodworks) whiffed the final batter to diffuse the situation.
Just like that.
And the Quiet Company â which scored three runs in the bottom of the frame â then went on to capture the title with an 11-6 win.
Northern Woodworks had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but The Quiet Company scored two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame â and the battle was engaged. With Northern leading 4-2, The Quiet Company scored five runs (the maximum allowed) in the bottom of the third to take firm control of the game, 7-4.
Northern Woodworks inched closer in the top of the fourth with a run, but The Quiet Company inched back with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame. Then came the fifth â and decisive â inning.
Kyla Miles, Amanda Chontos, and Karli Beitel banged out two singles apiece to lead The Quiet Company. Kokoski and Sara Peters had a single each. Chontos (the starter) and Van Waalwijk shared the pitching duties.
Valerie Nezvesky, Maricate Conlon, Rachel Warburton and Melissa Paynter had singles for Northern Woodworks.
Northern Woodworks was powered by Sammie Ciaccia, Conlon, Jessica Cosgrove, Bria Innurrato, Laura Konkos, Kate Levasseur, Amanda Lindblom, Nezvesky, Paynter, Jessica Rockwell, Becky Samson and Warburton. The team was managed by Wayne Ciaccia and coached by Greg Levasseur.
The Quiet Company was led by Abagail Atkinson, Beitel, Chontos, Maggie DeMarco, Adeline Fullmer, Kokoski, Amanda Krause, Miles, Jenna Moser, Peters, Ashlee Ross and Van Waalwijk. The team was managed by Richard Van Waalwijk and coached by Erich Fullmer and Jane Peters.