DUKE CENTER — Defense.
It was the difference in Wednesday’s tilt between the top two teams in the Northern Allegheny League and could be the determining factor in deciding the winner of the league in less than two weeks.
Otto-Eldred took advantage of seven Coudersport fielding errors en route to an resounding 12-2, six-inning victory that sent the Lady Terrors a game and a half ahead of Coudy in the NAL standings.
Otto-Eldred (15-1, 10-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning via a passed ball and throwing error. Coudersport settled down however, and answered back emphatically with a two-run homer from Shaelyn Black in the top of the third in what was poised to be a back-and-forth game.
But the Lady Falcons (11-4, 8-2) couldn’t quite get out of their own way in the field and lost for only the second time in the last 12 games.
O-E put up its five runs in the bottom half of the third on three errors, a passed ball and two singles.
The Falcons had four chances on balls hit in play to get the third out and stop the runs, but just couldn’t find that inning-ending out.
“Struggled defensively as far as knowing where to go with the ball at times and then with throwing the ball around,” Coudy head coach Trevor Saulter said. “Just sloppy. Didn’t have our starting catcher which was a bit of a letdown for us.”
Of Coudersport starting pitcher Shaelyn Black’s nine runs allowed, just one was earned. She was pulled in the fifth inning for freshman Emma Saulter.
“We had a catcher back there who is not used to catching Shae and she did well for the second time she’s ever done it. But it’s a big difference from catching Emma to her.”
Otto-Eldred, meanwhile, didn’t commit any errors and played well defensively as it rolled to its ninth win by at least 10 runs this season.
“We are very defensively sound,” O-E coach Roger Veilleux said. “That’s how you play a game, and you only need one run if you do that, right? Same as always, aggressive on the bases, get the ball in play and make things happen and score runs.”
And even with the help of those defensive miscues, the Lady Terrors still had plenty of success at the plate. O-E finished with 10 hits, including three doubles, and had hits up and down the order.
“Offensively we just hit the ball right to them,” Saulter said. “I’m really frustrated with that. They hit everything in the gaps and we hit everything right to them.”
Leadoff hitter Emmalee Sheeler had two hits, including a double to begin the game, and everyone in Otto-Eldred’s lineup had at least one hit.
The Terrors closed out the victory with five runs over the final three innings, courtesy of three wild pitches as well as RBI singles from Abby Wolfe and Haylee Frederick.
After allowing the second-inning homer to Black, O-E pitcher Wolfe settled down and threw another gem in the circle.
The Terror freshman allowed just four hits and kept the Falcons off the bases over the final three innings of the game.
“(Wolfe) is not too worried about it, she’s given up nine (homers) this year but it’s only hurt us once really,” Veilleux recalled. “She’s young, so she’s bound to make a few mistakes here or there but she’s very strong on the mound.
“She’s played a lot of ball this year.”
Coudersport gets the chance to enact a quick dose of revenge on Otto-Eldred, as the two teams face off again this afternoon for a final regular season tilt.
Saulter said he’s going to emphasize getting off to an earlier start in hopes of splitting the season series with the Terrors.
“We have to come ready to play early, and that’s the biggest thing,” the first-year head coach said.
“We tell them that we have to start hitting the ball in the first inning. Against these real good teams you just can’t wait.”
