The Lady Dawgs honored seniors Lexi McCrory (left) and Myckenna Hurst following their Senior Night game last Friday, against Pleasant Hill. GINI DAVIS – THE CRESWELL CHRONICLE
A thrilling last-chance seventh-inning three-run homer by catcher Kelsey Kuhnhausen rewarded the Lady Dawgs with a 13-12 walk-off softball win on Senior Night against Pleasant Hill on May 11.
Creswell was down 9-12 with two outs when Kuhnhausen connected for her second career homer – and her second this season, both against Pleasant Hill.
”To end Senior Night in such a fashion was awesome,” said Coach Brett Giles.
The first four innings were a pitchers’ duel. Creswell scored one in the first, but neither team scored again until the fifth, when the Billies scored five.
But Creswell responded, scoring seven in the bottom of the fifth. ”I have to admit I was feeling pretty good, leading 8 to 5 after the fifth inning,” Giles said.
But it didn’t last. In the sixth, the Billies scored three to tie. The Lady Dawgs got one back in the bottom of the sixth, fueled by an Izzy Ramirez double, to take a 9-8 lead.
”Izzy absolutely tore the cover off the ball,” Giles said.
But again, the Billies came out swinging, tallying four runs to go up 12-9 going into the bottom of the seventh.
When Kuhnhausen came to the plate with two outs, ”I was just hoping for a single to keep the game going – but she had other plans,” Giles said.
Kuhnhausen went 2-for-4 – including her three-RBI home run – with five RBIs and two runs.
Aubrie Hatch went 2-for-4 with three RBIs; Morgan Janshen went 2-for-5 with three runs; Destiney Black was 2-for-4 with an RBI; Ramirez was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs; Hallie Drago was 2-for-5 with three RBIs; Myckenna Hurst was 1-for-2 and scored twice; Lexi McCrory was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run; Gracelyn Ehrich was 1-for-3 and scored; and Brooklyn Grubbs scored.
From the pitcher’s circle, Black gave up 12 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits, struck out two and walked three.
After the game, the Lady Dawgs honored seniors McCrory and Hurst. Their families presented congratulatory gifts as the seniors’ letters of appreciation and favorite softball memories were read aloud.
Earlier in the week, the Lady Dawgs fell 4-13 to visiting La Pine on May 7 and 2-12 to the sixth-ranked Glide Wildcats on May 9.
In the La Pine game, the Hawks led 7-0 after two. Creswell got on the board in the third with a three-run homer by Janshen, who went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a run.
Kuhnhausen went 3-for-3 and scored twice; Black was 1-for-3 with an RBI; Ramirez was 1-for-3 and scored; Hurst was 1-for-2.
Black gave up 13 earned runs on 12 hits, struck out eight, walked eight and hit four batters with the pitch.
At Glide, the Wildcats scored three in the first but both teams were then silent until the fourth, when the Lady Dawgs posted two and the ‘Cats added five for an 8-2 lead.
Drago went 1-for-2 and scored; Hatch went 1-for-3 and scored; Jenessa Mallory and Hurst were each 1-for-3; and Janshen had an RBI.
”We struggled with hitting the first time through our lineup, which included six strikeouts,” Giles said. ”We hit the ball much better after that.”
Black gave up 12 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits – including a home run, a triple and two doubles, struck out three, walked four and hit one batter with the pitch.
”We actually played a pretty good game, minus the fourth inning. They’re a solid team that should do well at state,” Giles said. ”Hopefully, the experience and confidence we gained this year will carry into next season.”
