Rick Patrick
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
Buccaneers fans who showed up for Senior Night on Friday, Feb. 28, when the Branford High School softball team faced the visiting Cowgirls of Madison County High School certainly received their money’s worth in terms of action.
In a sign of sportsmanship, the Bucs honored the Senior Cowgirls before moving into their own Senior Night ceremonies. After the Senior Night recognition was completed, the varsity teams squared off. It was a closely contested game that went into extra innings before the Cowgirls were able to emerge victorious with a 4-2 final score. The game remained scoreless through the first two innings. Then, in the bottom half of the third inning, the Bucs put two runs on the scoreboard. In the top of the sixth inning, the Cowgirls were able to tie the score at two runs apiece. That score remained through the end of the seventh inning when the contest went into overtime.
As a way of shortening the length of time it takes for one team to finish with an advantage, the rules of overtime change slightly from regulation rules. During the extra innings, the batting team begins the inning with a baserunner in scoring position at second base. From there, the inning proceeds as usual. When the other team comes up to bat, they also begin with a baserunner at second base. The Cowgirls were able to take advantage of this situation by scoring two runs in the top of the eighth inning. When the Bucs went up to bat, they managed to move their baserunner to third base. That is as close as the Bucs came in the final inning as the Cowgirls were able to keep the them homeless during the eighth inning to win the contest, 4-2.
Cloey Criggall went two-for-four in the batter’s box, with one run batted in (RBI) for the Bucs. Payten Bates had an RBI from a sacrifice play. Mallory Blue, Victoria Swain and Morgan Brennan also had hits for the Bucs.
Laila Arnold and Blue split time in the pitcher’s circle, giving up seven hits, three earned runs and three walks while striking out 12 batters.
The Bucs will be at home again on Thursday, March 13, when they face the Lafayette High School Hornets at 7 p.m.
