Marred in a four-game losing streak that included loses to Cuba, California, New Haven and Vienna. Belle Lady Tiger softball looked to avoid it becoming five Thursday night on the road in St. James.
In a battle of Lady Tiger softball squads, Belle overcame an early 2-0 deficit and survived a late St. James rally to defeat the host Lady Tigers 9-6.
Unable to score in the top half of the first inning, Belle saw St. James plate two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning for a 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning by both teams, Belle walked and hit their way to the lead in the top of the third inning.
Nevaeh Kinsey led the inning off with a single before being caught stealing for the first out of the inning.
An Aryssa Chambers ground out forced Belle into a two-out rally situation.
A two-out single turned the batting order back up to Susie Moman.
Moman and Cheyenne Struemph drew consecutive walks to load the bases.
Back-to-back singles by Gracie Rehmert and Ryleigh Long helped Belle claim a 3-2 lead after three innings.
Following a scoreless fourth inning, Belle looked to add to their lead in the top of the fifth inning.
Moman started the latest rally with a one-out single before being doubled home by Struemph giving the visiting Lady Tigers a 4-2 lead.
Singles from Rehmert and Long again allowed Struemph to score pushing Belle’s lead to 5-2 after five innings.
Looking to further add to their lead, Belle did so in the top half of the sixth inning.
A two-out walk and along with Moman reaching on a fielder’s choice set the table for Struemph.
On the very next pitch, Struemph deposited the softball over the left-center field fence for a three-run home run giving Belle an 8-2 lead.
Rehmert doubled and Ryleigh Long singled but were both left stranded going to the bottom of the sixth inning.
St. James got a run back on a hit, a walk and an error cutting Belle’s lead to 8-3 after six innings of softball from Phelps County.
Moving to the top of the seventh inning, Belle looked to get that run back and then some.
Johanna Roberds led with a single before back-to-back singles from Kinsey and Chambers allowed her to score giving Belle a 9-3 lead three outs from snapping their four-game losing streak.
In a do-or-die situation, St. James turned three hits, an error and a fielder’s choice into three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Fortunately for Belle, reliever Emma White got the final two outs of the game on a strikeout and a ground out giving Belle their first win of the month of October, 9-3.
Struemph paced the Belle offense with two hits, three runs scored and four runs batted in (RBI).
Rehmert helped her cause with three hits and three RBIs.
Ryleigh Long added three hits and a RBI.
Dropping an 11-7 decision at Dixon Monday night, Belle Lady Tiger softball will end their regular season tomorrow (Thursday) traveling to Laquey to take on the Lady Hornets with a 5 p.m., first pitch along Interstate 44.