Apr 23, 2019 5 min read

CARMICHAELS – The last time the Carmichaels softball team faced Frazier, the Mikes managed just one hit and struck out 17 times in a 3-0 loss on April 2.

If Carmichaels wanted to gain redemption against the Commodores, they knew they had to be more disciplined with the strike zone.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Mikes collected five straight hits and scored three runs to pull out a dramatic 4-2 victory over first-place Frazier Tuesday afternoon at Carmichaels High School.

“We all knew this was going to be a low-scoring game,” Carmichaels coach Dave Briggs said. “The last time we played them, their pitcher overwhelmed us. We were not ready for her. But these last two weeks, the energy has been good and we have become a better team than the last time we played them. The girls accepted the challenge today.”

The Section 3-AA contest started out as a classic pitchers’ duel between Frazier’s Logan Hartman and Carmichaels’ Kylie Sinn.

Sinn was able to pick up the win for the Mikes (7-2, 10-3) by throwing strikes and not getting behind in the count. In seven innings, the junior righty allowed six hits with five strikeouts and no walks on 90 pitches (68 strikes).

“This win is so big for us,” Sinn said. “When we were down by one run, we never gave up hope. We just battled as a team and we were motivated throughout the game.”

Coming into the game, Sinn was almost unhittable in her last five games. In that span, she allowed no runs on four hits over 25 innings with 37 strikeouts and three walks.

“These last couple of games, I’m just feeding off my teammates’ energy,” Sinn said. “We have stuck together and we are playing for each other. My defense has been great, and that’s a pitcher’s best weapon. They give me confidence to throw any type of pitch.”

Hartman was the hard-luck loser in the circle, going six innings and allowing seven hits with eight strikeouts and no walks on 97 pitches (73 strikes).

“Logan is such a great pitcher, so as the opposing pitcher, it’s tough not to get intimidated,” Sinn said. “You have to focus on your pitches. I was just trying to match her inning by inning. Sometimes it can get to your head, but our team just battled to the end to get this win.”

The loss drops the Commodores (7-2, 9-2) to second place with Carmichaels, as both squads are behind Chartiers-Houston.

“We stunk up the joint,” Frazier coach Don Hartman said. “We stunk in all phases of the game today. We couldn’t play defense and we couldn’t hit. We did nothing well. We have been playing great softball these last couple of weeks, but today we laid the proverbial egg. All the hype and rankings are over. We have to start fresh and fight.”

After the first 12 batters were retired to start the game, Frazier was able to put runners on second and third base after a single by Haley Somers and a double by Mackenzie Kelly.

Somers would later score in the third frame after an RBI fielder’s choice by Hartman.

Carmichaels quickly countered in the bottom of the third, as Emma Hyatt reached second on an outfield error and scored on a two-out, RBI double by Sinn.

“I just wanted to get Emma in,” Sinn said. “That whole at-bat, I just wanted to get a hit and tie the game up. When I did get that hit, it was huge for us. The dugout made so much noise and at that moment we knew we could compete with them today.”

After a scoreless fourth, the Commodores broke the tie when Megan Celaschi hammered a triple to right and then later crossed home plate after a passed ball in the fifth.

Sinn started the decisive bottom of the sixth by reaching on an infield error then put herself at third after a wild pitch. Shelbee McCann then produced an RBI groundout that scored Sinn and knotted things up at 2-2.

With one out, the Mikes grabbed five straight hits, including RBI singles by Madison Ellsworth and Mia Ranieri, to get its first lead of the afternoon.

“I’m just proud of the way we put at-bats together in that inning,” Briggs said. “We just battled at the plate. We have been knocking on the door. This win does a lot with our confidence, especially since making that jump to Double-A. Frazier is a great team, so this win is a nice feather in our cap.”

Sinn made quick work of Frazier in the top of the seventh, needing only seven pitches to retire the side.

Both teams will be back in action on Thursday, as Carmichaels travels to Charleroi and Frazier hosts Beth-Center.