NTL SOFTBALL: NEB RALLIES PAST TOWANDA, 6-5 (2024-04-15)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — Northeast Bradford hadn’t played in two weeks, was out hit, and committed their fair share of errors, but the Panthers still found a way to beat Towanda, 6-5, in NTL softball action Monday.

“Not be able to practice, and we really have been on the field on time in the past two weeks, so it was nice to be able to rally back and get some time on the field,” said Panther coach MaKaylah Leljedal.

It was tied 1-1 after the first, with Towanda scoring runs in the second and third to go up 3-1. .

A 2-run bottom fourth got NEB back into the game, then they took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth.

The Knights rallied in the sixth thanks to a 2-run Brooklyn Evans homer, but couldn’t get any closer.

“We made a couple of defensive errors that kind of set us back a little bit,” said Towanda coach Caitlyn Crawford. “We left a lot of runners on base today, which ended up giving them the win - we can’t do that.”

Makenna Callear (2-for-4) scored a run for NEB as Hannah Berger (1-for-3) had a double with two runs scored.

Isabella Kapr (1-for-2) had a big 2-out, 2-run single that got the Panthers back in the game.

“I put her in the inning before and she came up with bases loaded and gave us that good hit,” Leljedal said.

Toni Herb reached base on all three plate appearances, going 1-for-1 with 2-RBI and a run scored, with Kelsea Moore (1-for-3) also getting an RBI. Melanie Shumway (1-for-3) and Kiarra DeLancey (1-for-4) both had hits, while Ava Lambert scored a run.

Moore got the win in the circle, striking out eight with nine hits, five runs, and no walks.

It was another good day at the plate for the Knights, led by Evans (1-for-4) getting that home run.

Payton Perry (2-for-4) had a double with a run scored, and an RBI, as Kynlee Kunkle (2-for-4) also had a double. 

Tae-Lynn Brabant (2-for-4) had a multi-hit game with Shay Greenland (1-for-4) scoring a run. Caedence Wells (1-for-4) had an RBI while Aleah Johnson (1-for-4) and Brynsen Vargason each had a hit as Layla Miller scored twice.

Johnson got the start, and took the loss, going four innings with seven strikeouts, three walks, five hits, and six runs, four of which were earned.

Greenland went the final two innings striking out two with two hits.

Perry led off the game with a hit, then scored on an error off the bat of Evans for the 1-0 lead. 

Towanda would load the bases with one out in the inning, but Moore induced an infield fly followed by a ground out to get out of the jam.

NEB held serve in the bottom half as Callear led off with a hit. She would get to third where she scored on a passed ball to knot things up.

In the second Miller reached on an error, then scored on a double by Perry for the 2-1 Black Knight lead.

Then in the third Greenland led off with a hit, getting to second on an error. Wells would bring her in with a single up the middle for a 3-1 Towanda lead.

The Panthers got out of that jam, though, by catching two runners on the base paths.

In the bottom of the fourth Berger was able to get something going as she reached on an error. After an out Herb reached on an error to put two runners on.

Johnson would get a strikeout, putting Towanda 1-out away from getting out of the inning.

Orissa Gardner kept the NEB rally going by drawing a walk, which set up Kapr’s 2-run hit to left field to knot the game up.

The Knights would get two runners on in the top of the fifth, but once again failed to move them across the plate.

In the bottom half DeLancey led off with a hit, followed by Berger driving a ball into the centerfield fence for a double, nearly putting a hole in the Thompson Pest Control billboard.

A Moore single allowed DeLancey to score to put the Panthers back on top. Herb then singled to drive in Berger and Lambert for a 6-3 lead with no outs.

Greenland, though, retired the next three batters - two of them by strikeout - get out of the jam.

In the top of the sixth Kunkle reached on a lead-off hit. Moore retired the next two, but a 2-1 offering to Evans ended up beyond the centerfield fence, cutting the deficit to 1-run.

In the seventh, though, Moore got the first two Towanda batters out. Brabant would get a hit, but Moore ended the game with another ground out to keep the Panthers undefeated.

“We came out with good intensity, that’s really good, but, unfortunately, like I said, those couple of defensive errors is kind of what I think set us back,” said Crawford. “We fought towards the end but it wasn’t enough to push us ahead there.”

Towanda (3-2) will travel up north to take on Horseheads on Tuesday with a 5 p.m. start.

“We just have to come out aggressive in the box, like we did today, and get some hits,” said Crawford.

NEB (4-0) travels to Athens (1-3) with a 4:30 p.m. start. They may not have the best record but the Wildcats have been in every game they’ve played so far this season.

Now with a game under their best Leljedal is hoping they’ve worked out some of their bugs from the long lay-off.

“I don’t think our defense was good,” she said. “I think we had quite a few errors that were silly mistakes, but, overall, they kept their heads about tit, and they were able to pull it off.”

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PHOTO CAPTION: NEB’s Toni Herb looks to make contact against Towanda…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING