Martin's slam leads NEB past Towanda.
By: Brian Fees | Towanda Daily Review | April 14, 2012 | Photo courtesy Brian Fees
2012 NTL and District 4 News
LERAYSVILLE - With a two-run top of the fifth inning, the Towanda Black Knights had battled back and evened the game with Northeast Bradford at 3-3.
In the bottom half of the inning the Panthers had gone ahead 4-3 and sophomore Calla Martin stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs, looking to add to that lead.
As she prepared to walk to the plate, Martin heard her teammates telling her what to do when the bases are loaded, and she delivered, hitting a grand slam as the Panthers won, 11-4.
"My teammates in the dugout were saying I smell a granny so that was pretty much what I was thinking," Martin said.
While she is one of the smaller players on the team, Martin is starting to develop a lot of power this year, hitting her third home run in four NTL East games.
"My hitting coach has really helped me," Martin said.
"She has a lot of pop in her bat," Northeast Bradford coach Gary Hennip said. "She is really a special player."
Towanda had taken a 1-0 lead as Koryn Wickwire started things off with a leadoff home run.
The Panthers had tied the game in the bottom of the first as Martin walked and Haylie Phillips singled, before Kelsey Carlsen singled her home.
Northeast went ahead in the third inning as Chelsie Souto singled and errors allowed Souto to come around and put Maddy Johnson on base, who scored on a MaKaylah Holbert triple.
Towanda had a chance to get some runs in the fourth as a Laciann Manning double, followed by a walk to Tori Welliver and a bunt single by Alaina Wickwire loaded the bases. However, Souto got back-to-back strikeouts and got Kylie Cazzassa to pop out to Carlsen in foul territory near first to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth Raven Vargason doubled to start things out and with one out Koryn Wickwire walked. Manning reached after she bunted and the Panthers committed an error and a sacrifice fly by Welliver cut the deficit to 3-2.
Alaina Wickwire hit a bloop single to tie the game, before the Panthers got out of the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning Carlsen and Nicki Emick singled and Aubri Mosier followed with a sacrifice to move the runners to second and third.
Souto hit into a fielder's choice, but everyone was safe to load the bases. Kelsey Goodwin hit into a fielder's choice, with Towanda getting the runner at home to leave the bases loaded with two outs.
Johnson grounded the ball back to the pitcher, but the play couldn't be made at third in time and everyone was safe putting the Panthers up 4-3 before Martin's grand slam.
Carslen added a two-run home run in the sixth and Mosier scored in the sixth on a Goodwin double to cap the Panthers scoring, while Towanda got a seventh-inning run after Mackenzie Roof scored after reaching on an error and scoring on a hit by Manning.
"The last couple of games we said we wanted to see how the girls would handle tough games," Hennip said. "In both games, against Canton and today, the girls responded very well."
After Towanda tied the game, the Panthers knew that things were getting tough, but they also had a feeling they would be able to pull it out.
"It was a big win for us, it was probably the toughest game we have played so far," Martin said.
"We were really nervous," Holbert said. "But, we knew we would pull together and pull out the win."
The Panthers know that with just 10 NTL East games this year, getting off to a 4-0 start gives them a nice start to their goal of an NTL title.
"We are one step closer to the goals we want to accomplish," Martin said.
Offensively Martin led the way for the Panthers with a pair of hits, four RBI and two runs scored and Holbert had a pair of hits, with a double, and a triple, driving in a run in the game.
"It felt good," Holbert said of her hitting. "It doesn't usually happen."
Phillips had a pair of hits and a run scored and Carlsen had three hits, with three RBI, the home run and two runs scored. Emick had a hit and a run scored and Mosier had two hits, with a run scored.
Souto had two hits and Courtney Coleman scored two runs.
Goodwin had the double and an RBI and a run scored and Johnson had a hit and two runs scored.
"The best thing was one through nine in the lineup hit the ball really well," Hennip said. "That's really the key right now, one through nine we are hitting the ball well."
Defensively the Panthers had a few miscues in this one, but they also had some strong defensive plays, including a running, over the shoulder catch by Johnson in center in the seventh.
"That was a great catch," Hennip said. "I told the girls after the game, it was not our best game defensively, but we hit the ball very well. It wasn't our best defensive game, but that catch, not a lot of centerfielders can make that catch.
"And, I am proud of Aubri Mosier in left field. She did a really nice job today. We are very fortunate to have Maddy come in as a freshman and to have Aubri really find her place in the outfield and then we have Haylie (Phillips) or Chelsie (Souto) out there, we are very solid in the outfield."
On the mound Souto got the win, striking out seven for the Panthers.
"We all really helped Chelsie out tonight," Martin said. "And, Chelsie pitched a really good game."
For Towanda, Koryn Wickwire had the home run and scored two runs, driving in one, and Manning had two hits and an RBI, while Welliver had a hit and an RBI.
Alaina wickwire had two hits and an RBI and Vargason had a double and scored a run, while Roof scored a run.
Alaina Wickwire pitched for the Black Knights, striking out two.
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