By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SILVERTON, Ore.–  The emotions were high after the heartbreaking loss that the Silverton softball team suffered against West Albany Wednesday night.

The Foxes left it all out there.  Heart as they battled from 6-3 down to tie it at six in going to the seventh inning.  Grit as they held off one of 5A’s best softball programs at bay.  Passion even as they all stepped up to the challenge in the 9-6, nine inning game.

“I felt like we did very well.  I didn’t think we have a single strikeout all game as far as batting wise and I think that played a big role.  We had massive crazy in the dugout, I know a lot of us lost our voice,” smiled Gresyon Gliviniski.  “I feel like it was a tough game and we happened to take the L in it, but we fought.  We put our hearts and souls into that game.”

In the 151 pitches they had thrown their way, as they entered the bottom of the seventh inning looking for the win, they didn’t give up a single strikeout.  Their offense made sure they put it in play as they collected 16 hits in the 27 outs that they played.

And they were close to stealing a game from West Albany with runners on base.  But a base-running error that resulted in a double play halted the promising inning as the game went to extras and McKenzee Petersen was turned upon to continue her strong game.

The frosh pitched all nine innings,  striking out six in the process as they went back to work in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

The Foxes couldn’t duplicate their seventh inning success in the eight however and they had the Bulldogs on the ropes again in the eighth with one out.  But a few timely hits allowed West Albany to regain their lead going into the bottom half of the ninth up 9-6.

And as they fought through the pain of how this game ended following Wednesday’s contest, it showed them what they could achieve once they clean up the little things with how they were able to piece it together.

“Our energy was there the whole time…All of our energy fell on each other, and we kept going up and up and up,” Braezen Henderson said.  “I liked it, I think we just slipped a couple of times and then it went all mental.  It makes us want to fight harder and do better and hopefully next time when we play West Albany it’ll be a better game than it was.”

Mila Perez led the offense going 5-for-5 with 2RBI’s, Kate Kofstad and Brylie Parks  each drove in a RBI as the squad looks to get back into the win column Friday at Central.

Tayler Thompson and Adie McArthur led the Bulldogs with 2RBI’s each.  Thompson went 4-for-5 to lead the West Albany offense as the Bulldogs host Corvallis Friday,

Photos By Jeremy McDonald