UPPER MORELAND >> Upper Moreland never trailed for long Thursday afternoon. When the Golden Bears fell behind Upper Dublin by two runs in the top of the second inning, they answered with two of their own in the bottom of the second. When the Cardinals pulled in front with a three-run fifth, UM re-took the lead with four runs later that inning.
Upper Moreland totaled nine hits, worked five walks and capitalized on six Upper Dublin errors to pick up a 7-5 Suburban One League crossover win at Upper Moreland Senior High School.
“The best part about this team this year is they never give up,” Upper Moreland coach Melanie Martino said. “They never get down on themselves. They never, ever get down on each other. They are so supportive of each other. They’re probably happier for each other’s successes than their own. No matter what the game is, no matter what the scores have been – they haven’t given up on any game.”
“We just fought back every time,” Upper Moreland’s Stephanie Jones, who went 3-for-4, said. “We never got down… We love each other so much and we’re such a team here.”
When the Golden Bears (9-1, 7-1 SOL Freedom) stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning they had just allowed three runs and trailed, 5-3. They answered by sending all nine batters to the plate, scoring four runs and taking a 7-5 lead.
Two of the first three batters in the inning reached on errors while Makenzie Leo singled to load the bases with no outs. The first run scored when a pickoff attempt at first base got away, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
After a strikeout, Jones followed with a groundball to second base. The throw home was off-target and rolled to the backstop, allowing two runs to score and putting Upper Moreland ahead, 6-5.
“Just put the ball in play and run hard no matter what,” Jones said of the fifth-inning offense. “We just kept running, kept putting the pressure on them.”
Jones scored from second when an infield popup was dropped, giving the Golden Bears an insurance run and 7-5 lead.
“We’ve had glimpses of errors for things we should have been able to do at this point but not consecutive like that,” Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer said of the five-error fifth inning.
“To Upper Moreland’s credit they found ways to put the ball in play and make those mistakes count. That’s why they won.”
The Cardinals (5-5, 3-5 SOL Liberty) had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Madden Reilly led off with a single to bring the tying run to the plate and Bella Fiore almost tied things up with a single swing of the bat. Her high fly to left field initially looked like it would clear the fence, but on a windy day outfielder Kelly Bates was able to get under it for the first out.
After a walk put the tying run on base, second baseman Lianna Adames made an impressive grab in short right field before pitcher Delaney Stout ended the game with a strikeout, her fifth of the game. She allowed five runs on eight hits and walked five batters in seven innings.
“Delaney has been a game-changer for us this year,” Martino said. “For a freshman and such a young player, she stays so composed and within herself. No matter what’s going on, she doesn’t get rattled. For a young player to have that type of composure – it’s what every coach looks for.”
Upper Dublin got the scoring started in the top of the second inning. Maddie Small led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on an error. She scored on Kate Brannigan’s RBI single. Brannigan moved to second on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on Kyla Garrison’s RBI single.
In the bottom of the second, Upper Moreland’s Erin Distel got her side on the board with a sacrifice fly. Kaylee Brown’s two-out RBI single tied the game, 2-2.
In the bottom of the third, UM took a 3-2 lead on an error. Leo, who had two hits in the game, sent a fly ball to center field. It was dropped and allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate.
The Cardinals tied the game, 3-3, on Kaitlyn Zacharia’s RBI single off of the centerfield fence in the top of the fifth. Three batters later, Lizzie Tambourino grounded into an error that allowed two runs to score to put UD ahead, 5-3.
Garrison took the loss in the circle for the Cardinals. The right-hander allowed seven runs – two earned – on nine hits in six innings. She struck out 10 batters to five walks.
Upper Moreland 7, Upper Dublin 5
Upper Dublin 020 030 0 – 5
Upper Moreland 021 040 x – 7
WP: Delaney Stout 7 IP 5 K 5 BB 8 H 5 R
LP: Kyla Garrison 6 IP 10 K 5 BB 9 H 7 R
2B: UD: Kaitlyn Small.
