The C. Milton Wright Mustangs just seem to have the Bel Air Bobcats number in softball.
CMW (8-3 league, 12-3 overall) rode the pitching of junior Morghan Fulton Monday, when the visiting Mustangs dealt the Bobcats (6-2, 12-2), a 4-1 loss in UCBAC Chesapeake Division play.
Fulton scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out three. Her key though, the drop ball, produced 14 outs on the ground.
"With the wind coming in, the drop ball was working very well and on top of that, I had my curve," Fulton said. "So with my curve going on the outside corner and my drop going down and out, it just was working really well."
The Mustangs played error free defense behind her and two big plays in the field helped secure the win.
CMW took a 1-0 lead in its first at-bat. Cat Kim singled, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and on sister Emily Kim's groundout.
The Bobcats looked like they might get on the scoreboard, too, in their first at-bat, but CMW catcher Emily Luzetsky halted the threat. The Bobcats opened the inning with back-to-back singles from sisters Brianna and Sarah Fleishmann. Brianna Fleishmann, though, got caught too far off second base on a pitch to Gwen Markowski. Luzetsky fired behind to shortstop Emily Kim, who tossed to third baseman Jenny Lynch for the out.
Markowski later grounded out and Bobcats pitcher Rayn Gibson was called out on a third strike.
The Mustangs added an unearned run in the third. Luzetsky singled with one out and Cat Kim followed with a bunt up in the air. Charging from third, Markowski had the ball just tip her glove and land for a fair ball.
Emily Kim sacrificed both runners up a base and with Caroline Weimer batting, Bobcats catcher Katrina Theilhorn inadvertently threw the ball back past Gibson and into center field, allowing Luzetsky to race home with the run.
The Mustangs added their final two runs, both unearned, in the sixth. Jenny Lynch doubled with one out. With two outs, a fly ball into short right field that should have been caught tipped the glove of Bel Air second baseman Amanda Criss. Lynch scored and Fulton took advantage of the extra out, launching a long RBI double to left-center field for the Mustangs final run.
Bel Air scored its lone run in the sixth. Markowski and Gibson started the inning with singles. Morgan Dvorak (2-for-3) added a single, plating Markowski. Leah Lozzi's grounder to first moved the runners up and Criss followed with a fly ball to right field. The Mustangs defense rose up again. Right fielder Quinn Ursprung made the catch and fired home to get Bobcats courtesy runner Savannah Meyers.
Luzetsky and Cat Kim had two hits each for CMW, while Brianna Fleishmann also had two for Bel Gibson.
Gibson allowed nine hits and an earned run, while striking out eight.
"We always have game plan against Rayn. She's a rise ball, fastball pitcher and the big thing is not to strike out on that rise ball. When you start to take that pitch away from her, then we can start to put the ball in play," Mustangs coach Russell Kovach said.
Bobcats coach Kathleen Donaldson said, "We didn't execute fundamentally, sound softball, so when you do don't that against good teams, you're gonna lose."
Warriors beat Eagles
Havre de Grace (2-8, 6-8) helped both CMW and Bel Air Monday, coming from behind to upset visiting Bo Manor (6-2, 11-2), 8-7, in eight in innings of Chesapeake play.
The Warriors trailed the entire game and with the aid of an Hailey Emerson three-run home run, Havre de Grace tied the game at 7.
Both teams thought the game was over, however, and Bo Manor had won. Each congratulated the other and moved to their respective team huddles and umpires left. Warriors coach Austyn Ripken discovered the game was tied and Bo Manor's scorebook agreed.
Havre de Grace got Bo Manor out in the top of the eighth and then won the game in the bottom of the inning on a passed ball.
Emerson finished with three hits to lead Havre de Grace. Annelise Beer pitched all eight innings, yielding 10 hits and a hit batter. She struck out two.
Cougars beat Huskies
Fallston (6-4, 7-9) also had to come from behind to win, 9-7, over visiting Patterson Mill (7-4, 7-6) in Susquehanna Division play.
Fallston was down 7-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, when Anna Wagner started the comeback with a two-run home run. Clara Stewart, Ivey Wagner and Elise Callahan all had good at-bats to load the bases for Maggy Deckelman, who cleared them with her first home run of the year.
Other Monday scores
Harford Tech (8-2, 8-4) took over sole possession of first place in Susquehanna play with a 10-3 win over visiting North East. Also in Susquehanna play, Edgewood (4-7, 4-9) lost to visiting Elkton, 8-5. In Chesapeake play, North Harford (3-6, 7-7) lost Perryville, 3-2.
Friday action
Friday was a mix of division and non-division play on the softball circuit with division play leading the way.
The C. Milton Wright Mustangs (7-3 league, 11-3 overall), trying to stay near Chesapeake Division leading Bel Air, slipped up at Perryville. The Mustangs were upset, 10-4.
Bel Air (12-1), meanwhile, took a break from division play and beat visiting Patterson Mill (7-5), 12-2.
In another non-division game, Havre de Grace (5-8) held on to beat visiting Fallston (6-9), 10-9. The Warriors led, 10-3, entering the seventh inning.
The win was highlighted by Kateri Peters, a two-run shot, and Kaysha Davis, hitting back-to-back home runs. Freshman Luann Blake pitched a compete game for her first career win.
Also, North Harford (7-6) won at Aberdeen (5-7), 15-3, in non-division play.
In Susquehanna Division play, Harford Tech (7-2, 7-4) swept a doubleheader with visiting Joppatowne (0-7, 0-7). Scores were 22-0 and 15-2.
Kim Cook (three RBIs), Emily Wikane (four RBIs), and Lindsay Bowler (three RBIs) each had three hits for Tech in game one. Cook pitched a no-hitter with two walks and 13 strikeouts.
In game two, Wikane went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Molly Mioduszewski added two hits and six RBIs. Shy Ireson and Kate Deel had RBIs for Joppatowne. Emily Bowler pitched the win.
Bobcats beat Warriors
The Bel Air Bobcats (6-1 league, 11-1 overall) continued to mow down the competition Thursday, beating host Havre de Grace, 12-2, in seven innings at Stancill Park.
Rayn Gibson had another outstanding day on the mound, allowing hits two hits and three walks, while striking out 14. Gibson struck out 16 Warriors last Friday in a 4-1 win.
The Bobcats scored early, plating two runs in the first and five more in the second. The Bobcats added a single run in the fifth and then closed the game with a four-run seventh.
Gwen Markowski led the way, going 4-for-5 with two singles (RBI), an RBI double and a two-run home run over the 200-foot, left-center field fence.
Gibson had a good day at the plate as well, banging out three doubles and driving in four runs. Kayla Reiswig, Sarah Fleischmann and Brianna Fleischmann each had two singles and Morgan Dvorak had an RBI and a single.
Havre de Grace scored single runs in the second and fifth innings. The Warriors (1-8, 4-8) hits came from Hailey Emerson, a triple, and Annelise Beer, a single.
Freshman pitcher Leah DuBois pitched all seven innings for the Warriors.
Huskies drop Elks
Patterson Mill (7-3, 7-4) stayed near the top of the Susquehanna Division standings with an 11-1, five inning win over visiting Elkton in a game played at Harford Tech on Thursday.
Hailey Horton tossed a two-hitter, striking out five in the win. She walked three and the run was earned.
Lauren Rossi led the offense with just one hit, but it was a big one. Rossi belted a two-run home run over the left-center field fence.
Becca Borowski added three hits for the Huskies, while Horton had two hits (double) and four RBIs. Others contributing to the offense were Sam Denson, 2-for-4, two RBIs; Katie Williams, 2-for-3, RBI; Brooke Bollinger, 1-for-3, RBI; Megan Huddler, 2-for-3, double, RBI; and Lacey Breeden, 1-for-2.
Indians top Cougars
Fallston saw its five-game win streak come to an end Thursday, as visiting North East dealt the Cougars (5-4, 6-8) a 9-6 loss in Susquehanna play.
Elise Callahan had two triples and Clara Stewart had two hits and a walk to highlight the Fallston efforts.
Other Thursday scores
In non-division play, Edgewood (4-8) lost at Perryville, 14-2. In Susquehanna play, Harford Tech (5-2, 5-4) beat visiting Elkton, 6-1.