The Lipscomb Bisons softball team tied the Trevecca Nasarene Trojans 4-4 Tuesday at Draper Diamond. The Bisons had already squared off against the Trojans in other more informal Fall Ball contests, none of which have been official.
On this occasion, though, the inter-city matchup took place during the week, a purposeful change from both sides.
“I think mid-weeks [mid-week games] are different mentally on them than weekend games, so tonight brought a different type of challenge that we have not faced so far this fall and kind of a challenge we wanted on purpose,” head coach Kristin Ryman said.
As the Bisons took the field for the last of the Fall Ball contests, sophomore pitcher from Louisberg, North Carolina, Laine Barefoot takes to the circle. Alyssa Triner headed to the box to leadoff for the Trojans, taking the 9th pitch of the at bat to center field for a simple flyout. A slap bunt to freshman third baseman Avery Cox was stopped by a solid defensive play which led to the second out of the inning. A short infield fly got the third inning with three up and three down for the Bisons defensive front.
The senior Canton, Georgia native Amy Vetula led off for the Bisons and worked a 5 pitch walk to give the Bisons first runner on the bases. Presley Leebrick hit a hard ball to the right fielder for the first out of the Bisons offensive front. The Trojans catcher failed to keep Vetula in check on first base as she stole second. The Hayden, Alabama native Katelyn Belding struck out on an inside pitch after a 6 pitch at bat. The third out came from a swinging strikeout by the junior out of Fort Pierce, Florida, Ashley Montoya. One runner was left on base with no hits for the Bisons.
The Trojans flew out to Avery Cox. Katelyn Belding got the second out on a moving catch behind the infield grass. A shot into straight away center allowed the Trojans first hit. The Trojans offensive front was shut down by a running catch in the outfield by Presley Leebrick. The Trojans left one on base with one hit.
Maci Cunconan, the Warrensburg, Missouri native and Oklahoma State transfer, led off the Bisons second time at the plate with an out after a great catch by the Trojans center fielder. A frozen rope into left-center allowed the junior from Eden, North Carolina Kyndall Crawford to get a single and the Bisons first hit of the contest. Lexington, Kentucky native Elise Shoemaker popped up to the catcher in foul territory. With two outs, Clarksville, Tennessee native Joie Giarrizzo got nailed by a pitch in the elbow and took her base in stride, with no damage done to the Bisons outfielder. Cox flew out after a good at bat to end the Bisons offensive attack. The Bisons had two on base and one hit in the inning.
The Trojans lead off batter was walked on 5 pitches. The Trojans runner is thrown out trying to steal by Kaitlynn Hunt, the Graduate transfer from Creighton. The Trojans second batter hit a fly ball to Presley Leebrick in right field for the second out. The Trojans hit a hard ball to Amy Vetula that was fielded cleanly but led to a single. The Trojans left two runners on base with one hit in the inning.
Kaitlynn Hunt led off with a bunt single for the Bisons. Amy Vetula swung through a good pitch by the Trojans pitcher for the first out of the inning.Presley Leebrick hits an RBI triple into the corner for the Bisons first run in the contest. Kelsey Belding hit a high fly ball corralled by the Trojans second baseman for the second out. Ashley Montoya grounded out to the Trojans shortstop for the third out. The Bisons put one run and three hits on the board in this offensive attack.
A first pitch flyout to Amy Vetula is how the Trojans start the fourth inning. Kyndall Crawford goes up to grab a liner for the second out and a groundout ends the Trojans offensive attempt.
A standup double by Maci Cunconan was played off the base of the wall in center field by the Trojans outfield. Crawford hits a hard ball into the outfield to move Cunconan 60 feet closer to home. A sacrifice hit to the shortstop by Shoemaker allowed Cunconan to get home and the Bisons to go up two runs. Giarizzo hits a ball hard on the ground through the six hole for a single. Giarizzo gets caught stealing to end the inning.
A good play by Tori Womack at first and a comebacker caught by Laine Barefoot put two outs on the board for the Trojans. Maci Cunconan caught the final out of the inning in short center field.
A ground out starts the Bisons offensive set in the bottom of the fifth. Followed by a high pop out that never left the infield for out two. A great play by the Trojans defence closed out the Bisons hitless half inning.
In the top of the sixth Makayla Veneziale takes to the circle for the Bisons. A bouncing ground ball led to the Trojans first out. The Trojans singled on a back spinning ball in between the plate and the circle. A walk off of a full count put two Trojans on base. The Trojans move up with runners on second and third with only one out. A good choice by the Bisons defence to get the out and give up the run brings the Trojans within one with two outs in this half of the inning. A called strike three got the Bisons out of the inning only allowing one run with one left on base.
A leadoff single from the senior out of Franklin, Tennessee Jessie Brown started the inning. The Junior out of Fort Myers, Florida Meghan Kline works a walk to put two Bisons on the basepath. A pop up into short left field led to the Bisons first out. A swinging strike out left the Bisons with only one out to try and get two runners off the basepath. A groundout left the Bisons with no runs and two runners on base.
A lead off single from the Trojans on a blooper into the outfield. A close call a second was given to the Trojans runner. A sacrifice fly moved the runner to third. A comebacker was blocked down by Veneziale but allowed a single. This led to a Bisons Timeout. The Trojans took the lead after three RBI singles in the inning. A Trojans sacrifice bunt moves the runners into scoring position and puts two outs on the board. A called strikeout stops the Trojans offensive clinic and gives the Bisons a two run gap to make up with one and a half innings to play.
The Junior infielder from Spring Hill, Tennessee Kaitlynn Woodside led off for the Bisons. The Trojans defense made a good play to get the first out. A close play at first led to a second out. The Bisons go three up and three down in a pivotal inning.
Veneziale remained in the circle in the eight inning. A comebacker caught by Veneziale was the first out. A layout catch by Cunconan for the second out and quick third out to follow.
The Bisons needed three runs to win or two to tie with only a half inning left. Kaitlynn Hunt led off with a hard hit ball that just barely did not find the grass. Kelly Paulson came up to the plate and drew a walk. Jessie Brown entered the box and hit a single over the third baseman’s head putting two runners on base. Meghan Kline enters the box as the go ahead run. Paulson scored on a ball thrown into the outfield. Kline re-entered the box with a runner on third and hit an RBI single to tie the game. Leebrick entered with the winning run on first base, she flew out to deep left field without a tag from the runner on first. Tori Womack came into the box and drew a walk to put two Bisons on the basepath, and Kyndall Crawford flew out for the final out of the game.
“I think we really challenged our team at the end there of finding our way to play our brand of softball throughout the game,” said Coach Ryman. “The team that we have seen in previous weeks we did not always see tonight.”
“Right at the end, I thought we saw some really good things: several key quality at bats, I think about four or five in a row to lead off the eighth [inning]. It’s stuff like that that finishes us on a good note but on the whole, some things that we still definitely need to work on.”
Like all softball programs, Lipscomb’s fall season games are not kept in official records, but the Bisons have accrued 4 wins, 2 ties, and a loss in its seven games this fall. This was their final announced game of the fall in advance of the 2022 spring season.
Photo courtesy of CJ Arndt