Columbia
Howard County

Reservoir softball beats Glenelg, 9-6, in 3A East quarterfinals

May 11, 2015 at 8:33 PM

Reservoir softball outfielder Carly Clarke talks about the Gators' win over Glenelg Monday, May 11, in the 3A East regional quarterfinals. (Brent Kennedy/Baltimore Sun Media Group video)

The Reservoir softball team has seemingly figured out the formula associated with peaking come playoff time.

Each of the previous three years, the Gators have won at least one playoff game and, in each of the last two seasons, defeated at least one team seeded above them. In 2012, the team rode its momentum all the way to a region championship.

On Monday, against visiting Glenelg, Reservoir continued the trend of postseason excellence.

Battling back from an early four-run deficit, the Gators scored a combined six times in the fourth and fifth innings to grab the lead for good on the way to earning a 9-6 victory in the 3A East region quarterfinals.

“We love doing it for our seniors … we don't want to see them leave,” said Reservoir’s Carly Clarke, who finished a perfect 3-3 with 3 RBI and a run scored. “They want to keep playing and it’s a big team effort.”

Reservoir coach Julie Frisvold, who has guided her squad to wins in eight of its last 10 games, said she’s seen a mentality switch.

“They do like the playoffs, for whatever reason,” Frisvold said. “We seem to always step up this time of year. For this group, I know that I pulled the seniors aside a few weeks ago and asked them, ‘How do you want your senior year to end?’ And then I pulled the underclassmen aside and said ‘what kind of message do you want to send for next year?’ Whether it was that, or something else on the field, I’ve definitely noticed a difference.”

Reservoir (13-8) had cruised to a 10-2 victory over Glenelg at the beginning of last week, but had to work much harder this time around.

The Gators grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Hunter Little led off with a single and eventually came around to score on an RBI hit from Anna Bennett (3-4, triple, 3 RBI).

But Glenelg answered in the top of the second with a two-run home run over the fence in left off the bat of Harly Fitterer to grab a 2-1 advantage.

Then, after Reservoir battled back to tie it on a RBI hit by Clarke that plated Monica Lamm (2-3, double, 2 runs, RBI), Glenelg put together a big fourth inning to grab its largest lead of the game.

In the fourth, a 2-RBI double by Paige Hoeflich — scoring Fitterer and Allison Wilcox — and a 2-RBI single by Breanne Smith — scoring Hoeflich and Toni Pritchard — did the heavy lifting in a four-run inning that gave the Gladiators a 6-2 lead.

“I was pleased with how we played and if we are going to go out, that’s how I want to go out … hitting the ball like we did today,” Glenelg coach Ray Gerstner said. “You have to give it to Reservoir, they are always a late blooming team. But we came out, worked really hard this past week, and put ourselves in a position to win this game.”

But just as quickly as Glenelg had seemingly snatched the momentum, Reservoir began clawing its way back.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Gators got three of the runs back. Two Glenelg errors and then a big 2-RBI single by Bennett played major roles. It might have been an even bigger inning had the Gladiators not gotten a double play to get out of things still leading by one, 6-5.

“Coming off the field when they scored those runs, I really stressed to them that this is our opportunity. This is when we come back,” Frisvold said. “We couldn’t let them have that lead for long and our leaders on the bench, Robyn Pidlisky, rallied the troops and made sure we came right back out and answered.”

An inning later, Reservoir did indeed retake the lead. Emily Lloyd and Sophia Sommerkamp (double) each opened the inning with hits and then Lamm followed with a hit of her own to tie the game at 6-6. Then, after two infield pop outs, Clarke came up and delivered the biggest hit of the game.

A hard-hit ball down the first base line bounced high over the bag into left field and plated two runs to make it 8-6.

“With two strikes, I was like ‘I’m not striking out, I’m putting it in play.’ I needed my teammates to score,” Clarke said. “It was just an awesome feeling when it happened.”

Reservoir added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, with Bennett leading off with a triple to set up Emily Lloyd for an RBI ground out.

That set the stage for Gators’ pitcher Emily Wang to do the rest. Wang, who struggled a bit in the middle innings, didn’t allow a run over the final three frames.

She closed things out in the seventh by getting a couple fly balls to Clarke in centerfield and then one final strike out — her eighth of the afternoon.

“Her performance at the end there has a lot to do with being a seasoned pitcher, but it also shows just how good of a battery she and Anna are,” Frisvold said. “They got together and got things figured out after struggling for a couple innings. And then our defense stepped up as well, with Erica (Caporaletti) at second and Carly both making some big plays at the end.”

Reservoir now advances to face top-seeded and county-champion River Hill, a team the Gators defeated in last year’s playoffs, in the region semifinals on Wednesday.

Reservoir 9, Glenelg 6 (3A East)

123 456 7 R-H-E

G 020 400 0 6-11-4

Re 110 331 x 9-13-0

Other scores:

Long Reach 19, City 8 (3A East)

The Lightning had every player in the line-up get on base, while Kelsey Widmaier pitched and struck out eight with no walks to earn the win.

Alina Milauskas paced the offense with three hits and two walks, including a 2-run home run and a double. Rachel Jascavage (3 singles, double), Isa Carunungan (single, double, 2 stolen bases) and Rose O'Neil (1-2, single, 2 RBI) all had big days at the plate as well.

[More Maryland news] God’s timing is perfect and He has the final say »

123 456 R

LR 217 243 19

C 000 260 8

Howard 5, Blake 3 (4A North)

The Lions trailed for much of the game, but down by one going into the seventh inning, Berit Batterton delivered in the clutch with a 3-run home run to provide the decisive blow in a two-run victory.

[More Maryland news] Carroll County Public Schools educators rally for salary increases »

Batterton finished with three hits on the day and drove in all five of Howard's runs — the other two coming in the top of the fifth. Other highlights included Shanya Gordon smacking a double and Jamie Bahrijczuk pitching a complete-game with two strikeouts.

Howard now advances to face Sherwood on Wednesday in the region semifinals.

123 456 7 R-H-E

Ho 000 020 3 5-10-3

B 020 010 0 3-7-2

[More Maryland news] Here are the winners in Howard Magazine’s 2021 Best Restaurants Contest »

River Hill 10, Atholton 1 (3A East)

River Hill broke open a tight game in the bottom of the third inning with six runs and rolled the rest of the way to the victory.

Kristy Selby earned the win at pitcher, allowing just four hits and striking out two.

The Hawks struck first in the bottom of the opening inning, as Courtney Colosimo and Sara Mascone each singled to set the table for Kallan Dirmeyer to knock Colosimo in with a single of her own.

Later, after Atholton tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI single by Allison Orlosky that scored Bethy Medina, the Hawks broke things open. Kinsey Johnson led the third inning off with a home run.

[More Maryland news] Black Eyed Suzie’s to keep tradition alive and host July 4 pancake breakfast in Bel Air »

Dirmeyer (single), Sabrina Curtiss (single) and Mary Ellen Tokar (walk) then all reached to load the bases. A wild pitch and an errant throw plated two more runs and then Caroline Hickey singled to score Tokar. Colosimo would double to score Hickey and then she too eventually came around to score.

River Hill's final three runs came in the fifth inning, as Johnson delivered a 2-RBI double and then Dirmeyer delivered an RBI groundout.

123 456 7 R-H-E

A 001 000 0 1-4-2

RH 106 030 x 10-14-2

[More Maryland news] Timonium man federally charged in wire fraud scheme »

Mt. Hebron 19, Poly 1 (3A East)

The Vikings started fast and cruised the rest of the way to the five-inning victory. The team will now play Long Reach on Wednesday in the region semifinals.

Evvie Buehlman starred at pitcher, striking out 12 of the 16 batters that she faced. Maddie Bennett led Mt. Hebron offensively by going 3-4 with two doubles and 4 RBI. Rachel Veslany hit her first home run of the season in the third inning.

Buehlman, Rachel Cadigan, Stephanie Bluhm and Rylee Kinsella each had two hits.

123 45 R-H-E

P 010 00 1-0-3

MH (10)34 2x 19-12-1

Marriotts Ridge 6, Calvert 3 (2A South)

The Mustangs took advantage of a huge bottom of the sixth inning, scoring six times to provide the cushion needed to earn the playoff victory.

Makenzie Hockensmith hit a home run, Abby Warman had a triple and the duo of Mikayla Barnard and Laurne Biro each delivered doubles. Barnard and Romy Lindahl split the pitching duties.

123 456 7 R-H-E

C 200 000 1 3-3-1

MR 000 006 x 6-6-1

Baseball
Softball

Reservoir softball beats Glenelg, 9-6, in 3A East quarterfinals

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!
Save big on local news.

SALE ENDS SOON

$1 FOR 12 WEEKS

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!Save big on local news.

SALE ENDS SOON

$1 FOR 12 WEEKS

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!
Save big on local news.