Nora Resnick and Lizzy Gardner combined for four hits, four runs scored, and three runs batted in as the Ohio Varsity Vipers 16U team knocked off Pittsburg Spirit Elite, 10-5, in their only game of the Pumpkin Smash Tournament at Victory Park in North Ridgeville on Sunday.
Resnick (2024 Hawken) finished the game 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored.
“It was super nice to go out and get a win before today,” Resnick said. “The girls and I would’ve loved to keep playing but we were all happy we ended on a high note.”
After having a slate of games canceled due to weather on Saturday, the Vipers, who improved to 5-4 in their first year on the travel circuit, squeezed in just one game on Sunday.
Olivia Sacks (2024 Mentor) and Macey McGhee (2025 Independence) hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the first and Gardner followed up with an RBI single to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead.
Resnick’s one-out single in the second led to a three-run inning.
Mak Kobetitsch (2024 Mentor) singled and Resnick scored on a Lilly Jarc (2024 Beaumont) groundout. Clarissa Morrison (2024 Mentor) doubled home another run and then scored on an error.
Resnick singled and scored in her first two at-bats and then hit a sacrifice fly in her third to knock in another run.
“I approached today’s at-bats the same as I do every time, just looking for a base hit,” she said. “Base hits score. I improved as a player today by implementing the swing I practice and train with into games.”
Pittsburgh Spirit Elite added three runs in the bottom of the second on a single, double, and a home run to pull to within 4-3, but the Vipers rallied for four runs in the third to push their lead to 8-3.
McGhee drew a leadoff walk and Elena Scott (2025 North Olmsted) drew a free pass with one out and then the Vipers recorded five straight singles to push across the four runs.
A two-out error led to two runs for the Spirit in the bottom of the third but the Vipers closed out the game with two runs in the top of the fourth on Gardner’s RBI double.
Gardner (2024 Eastlake North) was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
“Today, I approached my at-bats with a calm mindset knowing I wanted to hit,” Gardner said. “With that, I was looking to perfect my swing with some critiques my coaches gave me. The pitch I hit (the double) was a high fastball that I was able to drive to the fence. This helped boost my confidence knowing I was able to bring something to the team and help move the runners.”
Kobetitsch and Sacks also finished the game 2-for-3.
Scott earned the pitching victory. She struck out one in three innings of work.
Despite all but one game being canceled over the weekend, the Vipers continued to show progress as a new club.
“The rain definitely changed up the weekend not being able to play on Saturday, but it was very exciting to come out with a win on Sunday before the rain, especially knowing we had a pumpkin to smash,” Gardner said. “I truly think our team is connecting and competing at a high level. I can’t wait for the summer and the wins to start piling up.”
