Vipers 10U opened the postseason with a dramatic 14-13 win over Ohio Fever on Tuesday.
The Vipers rallied back from a five-run fourth-inning deficit to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Vipers scored three runs on three singles and a walk in the bottom half of the frame.
Kailyn Mooney and Adalynn Sedmak hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and Mooney scored on Kamryn Fern’s groundout. Sedmak then stole third and scored on Audrey Kobetitsch’s RBI single.
Harper Bammerlin drew a walk and Kobetitsch scored on Cally Folino’s groundout that left the Vipers in the lead, 3-1.
The Fever scored five runs in the top of the second but Grace Mullen walked and scored on Zoey Brownlee’s groundout to cut the Viper deficit to 6-4.
Ohio Fever added another run in the fourth, but the Vipers responded with three runs in the bottom of the third to even the game at 7-7.
Fern and Kobetitsch drew back-to-back walks with Fern scoring on a wild pitch. Bammerlin singled and Folino was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Evie Gehrs, who walked home a run. Charlotte Klekar drew a two-out walk to force home another run for the Vipers.
The Fever dropped five runs on just two hits in the top of the fourth, leaving the Vipers in a challenging situation trailing by five with the time limit quickly approaching.
Mooney singled to start the fourth and scored on Sedmak’s RBI double. Fern walked, but not before Sedmak stole third and scored on a wild pitch. Bammerlin hit a one-out single and Folino followed with an RBI single. Gehrs walked and Mooney followed with a bases-loaded walk.
Brownlee added an RBI single in the inning.
Ohio Fever tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Vipers pushed across two in the bottom half of the inning to seal their victory.
Bammerlin was 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and she picked up the pitching victory after allowing six earned runs on two hits with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. Kobetitch threw 2 2/3 innings. She allowed seven earned runs on six hits and fanned three.
Mooney and Sedmak each finished the game with two hits and Brownlee knocked in a team-best two runs.
