Sandiettes’ Comeback Falls Short, 7-6
Leon Captures District Title
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – The Grapeland Sandiettes found themselves in a situation they were not accustomed to on Thursday, April 18. No matter what they did against the Leon Lady Cougars, Leon had wrapped up the District 21-2A championship.
The Sandiettes, however, were looking to avenge an early season, 3-1 loss to the Lady Cougars and they knew if they won they would go into the postseason as the number two seed out of the district.
It was simply not meant to be, unfortunately, as Grapeland fell by a final score of 7-6.
Cadie Belle Currie was in the pitcher’s circle for Grapeland and she was a little shaky to open the game. The first batter she faced was Caroline Richmond and Currie plunked her. Jenna Bumpurs followed in the lineup and popped up to short, but Rosemary Rivera followed with a single to advance Richmond to second.
An error on a Kassidy Cravey grounder moved the runners to second and third. Maci Bumpurs was up next and slapped a shot to third which was fielded by Kiera DeCluette who fired home – but not in time to catch the speedy Richmond who slid home with the game’s first run.
Following the run, Currie regrouped to strike out JoBeth Eddings and then her defense came through for her as Rivera was picked off at third to end the Leon half of the first.
Grapeland struck back when they came in from the field. DeCluette and Diamond Dunn both grounded out, but Cierra Simon drew a walk to give the Sandiettes hope. Currie came through with a double into the center field gap as Simon roared around the bases to cross the dish and tie game.
After Cheney Boyd popped up to end the inning, Currie was back in the circle and seemed to be back to her normal, dominating form. She got Maddie Thomas to pop up for the first out, blew a third strike by Caitlyn Crane and forced Allee Pervis to ground out weakly to second to end the Lady Cougars’ second inning.
The Sandiettes threatened again in their half of the second but couldn’t quite come through. Jessi Cunningham hit into a 5-3 force, but Madi McCombs smoked a double into left to give Grapeland a runner in scoring position with only one out. Haylee Reed grounded out but on the play, McCombs took third.
That was as far as she would get, however, as KeKe Harris popped up to send the game into the third inning.
The Lady Cougars reclaimed the lead when they came to bat using the long ball. Currie struck out Richmond on three pitches and seemed to be in control of her game until she hung a 2-2 pitch to J. Bumpurs who deposited the pitch over the center field wall for a solo HR.
Following the dinger, Rivera was hit by a pitch and took first. The very next pitch, however, saw Cravey slap it over the left field fence for a two-run bomb. To her credit, Currie regrouped and managed to get out of the inning without any further damage but the Sandiettes now trailed 4-1.
Once again, the Sandiettes battled back. DeCluette led off the bottom of the third and lined out to center. Dunn bunted her way on while Simon drew a walk to give Grapeland runners at first and second with only one out.
Currie got a little redemption when she came to the plate as she swatted a double into left which plated both Dunn and Simon. Try as they might, Grapeland couldn’t push the tying run across the dish but after three complete, the Sandiettes only trailed 4-3.
Leon threatened to extend their lead in the top of the fourth but the Sandiette defense stonewalled the Lady Cougars. Currie struck out Crane to open up the inning, but Pervis reached second on an outfield error. Another outfield error, this time with Richmond at the plate, moved Pervis to third.
M. Bumpurs was up next and she lofted a fly ball into shallow right field. Boyd drifted back from her position at second to make the catch and when she did, Pervis tagged up at third. The second baseman didn’t hesitate and threw a frozen rope to McCombs at home who applied the tag to Pervis for the third out of the inning.
Grapeland went quietly in the bottom of the fourth – as did Leon in the top of the fifth – but when the Sandiettes came to bat in the bottom of the fifth, they tied the game at four.
DeCluette struck out and Dunn popped up for two quick outs. Simon was up next, however, and she singled to left and then promptly stole second base. Currie followed with her third double of the game to drive in Simon and just like that, the game was tied at four.
When Leon came to bat in the top of the sixth, the Lady Cougars pounced on the Sandiettes for three runs. Thomas flew out to second to lead off but Crane followed with a single past third. An error and another hit batsman loaded the bases.
J. Bumpurs singled into left to plate Crane, an error brought in Pervis and a fielder’s choice scored Rivera to give Leon a 7-4 lead.
In a show of fortitude, Grapeland never gave up. After a lackluster sixth inning, the Sandiettes had one last chance.
Harris led off the bottom of the seventh and reached on an error. She moved to second when DeCluette hit into a fielder’s choice and took third when Dunn bunted her way aboard. Simon followed with a two-run single but Dunn was thrown out at second on the play.
A walk to Currie put the winning run on base, but the Sandiettes couldn’t get the runs across the dish and fell by a final score of 7-6.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
