OROVILLE – THE OROVILLE HORNET FASTPITCH TEAM FINISHED ITS SEASON WITH THREE LOSSES TO THE LAKE ROOSEVELT RAIDERS.

THE FIRST LOSS CAME IN A SINGLE GAME AGAINST THE RAIDERS IN LAKE ROOSEVELT BY A SCORE OF 1 TO 11.

IN THE FIRST INNING, THE HORNETS WENT THREE UP, THREE DOWN. IN INNING TWO HAILEY NACLERIO WAS WALKED AND THEN STOLE SECOND AND THIRD. ASHLYN GODWIN HIT A SINGLE BRINGING IN NACLERIO FOR AN RBI AND OROVILLE’S ONLY RUN OF THE GAME.

IN THE THIRD INNING, THE HORNETS WENT THREE UP, THREE DOWN. NACLARIO HIT A SINGLE IN THE FOURTH INNING AND STOLE SECOND BASE. THE NEXT TWO BATTERS STRUCK OUT AND THE FOURTH BATTER WAS THROWN OUT AT FIRST AFTER A HIT TO THE LR SHORTSTOP.

A FLY BALL TO FIRST WAS CAUGHT FOR THE FIRST OUT OF THE FIFTH INNING. THEN A HIT TO FIRST BASE ALLOWED THE FIRST BASEMAN TO TAG OUT THE RUNNER. THE THIRD BATTER UP, TOSCA PICKERING, HIT A SINGLE AND STOLE SECOND. A LINE-DRIVE TO FIRST RESULTED IN A TAG, THE FINAL OUT AND THE END OF GAME.

THE HORNETS PLAYED THE RAIDERS AGAIN IN A HOME GAME DOUBLEHEADER AT TERRY TAYLOR FIELD ON MAY 12, LOSING 1 TO 21 AND 4 TO 45.

IN GAME ONE ASHLEY GLOVER SLAPPED A BUNT TO GET ON FIRST, THEN STOLE SECOND. THE NEXT BATTER HIT TO FIRST AND WAS TAGGED OUT. THE SECOND OUT HAPPENED WHEN THE NEXT BATTER STRUCK OUT. AMANDA MCALLISTER CAME TO BAT AND HIT A SINGLE AND STOLE SECOND AND GLOVER STOLE THIRD.

“ASHLEY LED OFF OF THIRD HARD, TAUNTING THE CATCHER TO THROW, CAUSING A PICKLE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO STEAL HOME,” SAID COACH DANE FORRESTER.

THE NEXT BATTER HIT TO SHORTSTOP AND WAS THROWN OUT AT FIRST, ENDING THE INNING. IN THE SECOND INNING IT WAS THREE UP, THREE DOWN. THE SAME HAPPENED IN THE THIRD AND THE 15-RUN RULE WAS APPLIED ENDING THE GAME.

IN THE SECOND GAME, GLOVER WAS WALKED, STOLE SECOND AND THIRD.

“ONCE AGAIN SHE LED OFF THIRD, CAUSING A PICKLE AND STEALING HOME,” FORRESTER SAID.

NEXT BATTER UP WITH A HIT TO THIRD AND WAS THROWN OUT AT FIRST FOR OROVILLE’S FIRST OUT. THE THIRD BATTER UP, TORI KING, WENT FOR THE PITCH AND HER THIRD STRIKE WAS CALLED, BUT THE CATCHER DROPPED THE BALL AND KING STOLE FIRST BASE, ACCORDING TO THE COACH. SHE THEN STOLE THIRD AND WHILE LEADING OFF SHE GOT IN A PICKLE AS THE RAIDERS TRIED TO PICK HER OFF AND KING SUCCESSFULLY STOLE HOME. THE NEXT BATTER UP STRUCK OUT FOR THE SECOND OUT. SHELBY SCOTT WAS UP TO BAT AND WALKED AND STOLE SECOND AND KAYLEE HARRIS HIT A SINGLE. TOSCA PICKERING HIT A SINGLE AS WELL AND ADVANCED HARRIS TO SECOND. WHILE TRYING TO STEAL HOME SCOTT WAS TAGGED OUT.

IN THE SECOND INNING THE FIRST BATTER WAS THROWN OUT AT FIRST FOLLOWING A HIT TO SECOND. THE SECOND BATTER UP WAS OUT ON A FLY BALL TO CENTER FIELD. GLOVER THEN HIT A SINGLE AND STOLE SECOND. THE FOURTH BATTER HIT A FLY THAT WAS CAUGHT ENDING THE INNING.

AS A SHOW OF GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, BOTH TEAMS AGREED TO PLAY THIS GAME OUT FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND FUN OF THE SPORT, ACCORDING TO FORRESTER.

“THIS YEAR WAS A REBUILDING YEAR, THE GIRLS GAINED EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AS THEY IMPROVED AND SHOWED STRONG PROMISE FOR THE NEXT FASTPITCH SEASON,” SAID THEIR COACH.

SEVERAL GIRLS WILL BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR – REINNA QUICK, AMANDA MCALLISTER, ASHLEY GLOVER AND HAILEY NACLERIO.

“WE WILL MISS THE SENIORS FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE YOUNGER GIRLS ON THE TEAM AND THEY HAVE BEEN INSPIRATIONAL TO THE TEAM AS A WHOLE,” COACH FORRESTER SAID. “I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR RETURNING PLAYERS LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE GAINED THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON.”

THE COACH SAID IF THE GIRLS CONTINUE BY PLAYING SUMMER LEAGUE THEY WILL SHARPEN THEIR HITTING, OUTFIELDING AND BASE RUNNING SKILLS.

“THIS COULD IMPROVE OUR CHANCES FOR A MORE SUCCESSFUL SEASON NEXT SPRING,” HE SAID.