Down to final out, 'Jacks keep win streak alive
ROCKVILLE – The third time around was the charm for the Chesapeake College batting order.
Montgomery College ace Caitlyn Cahill held the Skipjacks to four hits while taking a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning Sunday afternoon. Chesapeake hitters, starting to see Cahill for the third time, rocked her for nine hits the rest of the way in earning an 8-6, eight-inning victory that kept the Skipjacks undefeated.
"The third time through the lineup . . . we just got on her a little bit," said Chesapeake head coach Durrie Hayes, whose squad registered a 17-4 win in the opening game of the doubleheader. "We talked about not doing too much (in the seventh inning). We told them, 'Relax, have fun, and have a good at bat.' "
The Skipjacks (24-0 overall, 14-0 league) stayed perfect for the season with a near-perfect seventh inning. Ali Jones and pinch hitter Abby Tyner opened the inning with consecutive singles, with each moving up a base on Hannah Stringer's groundout. Kaley Schreiber then delivered a two-run single that scored Jones and Tyner to get the Skipjacks within 4-3.
Stephanie Weyermiller popped up – and Chesapeake was separated from its first loss of the season by a single out. Instead, Samantha Greenwell doubled off the right-center-field fence to score Schreiber from first and tie the game, 4-4.
Montgomery threatened in the home seventh as Olivia Howell singled and moved to second on Devin O'Neill's sacrifice. The Skipjacks then walked Montgomery's dangerous cleanup hitter, Julie Hance, a decision that could not have worked out any better for Chesapeake. The next batter, Gaby Pascalo, lined out to Skipjack pitcher Cheyenne Riley, who doubled Hance off first to send the game into extra innings.
Playing under international rules, the eighth started with Taryn Zietlow on second base. Kellieann Tyner sacrificed Zietlow to third and Riley scored her with a suicide squeeze pop-up that eluded a diving O'Neill at first. Riley went all the way to second on the play, stole third and scored on a Jones hit to center to make it 6-4.
Stringer and Schreiber added run-scoring hits later in the inning to give Chesapeake an 8-4 lead over the stunned Raptors. Montgomery scored twice in the home eighth, but could not get the tying runs on base.
Riley allowed 11 hits and a walk with five strikeouts while holding the Raptors scoreless after a four-run first.
"They hit her (Riley) pretty well in the first," said Hayes, noting Montgomery had five of its 11 hits in the opening inning. "She pitched very well after the first inning."
Schreiber (four RBI, first collegiate homer) and Stringer (two steals) each went 3-for-5. Riley and Jones were each 2-for-4, with Jones contributing a hit to both the seventh- and eighth-inning rallies.
Hayes liked what he saw in the late-inning comeback.
"We really executed when we needed to – we got the bunts down, we stole the bases, we got good jumps, threw to the right base, made the plays," said Hayes. "None of the girls panicked. It was very impressive the way they went about the seventh and eighth innings."
Kellieann Tyner (10-0) earned the complete-game win in the opener, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out seven. Weyermiller led the way offensively, going 3-for-5 with six RBI, including a grand slam.
Chesapeake 12, Harford 4
WYE MILLS – Twins Kellieann and Abby Tyner each hit their first collegiate home runs in consecutive innings as the Skipjacks defeated Harford in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Taryn Zietlow went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in two runs. Stephanie Weyermiller (double), Hannah Stringer (two stolen bases) and winning pitcher Cheyenne Riley (two RBI) each had two hits.
Riley pitched a complete-game eight-hitter, allowing three walks and striking out five.
Chesapeake 9, Harford 1
WYE MILLS – Taryn Zietlow hit her first collegiate home run, a three-run shot as part of a five-run third inning that broke a 1-1 tie, as the Skipjacks completed Saturday's sweep of Harford.
Stephanie Weyermiller allowed three hits and five walks with a strikeout in a complete-game victory.
Weyermiller, Kaley Schreiber, Samantha Greenwell (two doubles, RBI), Hannah Stringer (two RBI), Abby Tyner (RBI), Kellieann Tyner, and Michelle Lawrenson (RBI) each had two hits in Chesapeake's 15-hit attack.
The Skipjacks host Hagerstown Community College Wednesday in a 3 p.m. league doubleheader.