Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – Alana Stuart delivered a walk-off home run leading off the bottom of the seventh to send Warren to an 8-7 win over Conneaut.
Stuart’s home run capped a back-and-forth affair, with Conneaut taking leads of 5-0 and 6-5 courtesy of a pair of Linda Shephard solo home runs, as well as a three-run double off the bat of Julianna Jacobs.
“I’m proud of her for that,” said Warren coach Carissa Stuart. “She works really hard and she deserved that.”
Stuart was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game for her efforts.
Rewatch the game:
Warren scored five runs in the fourth inning to tie the game, as Alix Lytle ripped a two-run double and Kylie Fehlman a three-run triple. The inning also featured hits from Katie Madigan, Lexi Hoffman, and Halle Kuzminski.
“I knew at that point in the game it was still early,” coach Stuart said. “It was just a matter of squaring her (Wise) up. We came through and I knew we would. We took advantage of having runners on. Kylie came up big, she’s been doing that the last couple of games. Our whole lineup’s been doing well.”
Shepherd’s second home run in the fifth inning gave Conneaut a 6-5 lead, but Warren re-took the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on Lytle’s RBI fielder’s choice and Kuzminski’s sacrifice fly.
Conneaut tied the game in the top of the seventh, as Eliza Harrington led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a groundout, and scored on Jaidyn Jordan’s RBI groundout that deflected off of Stuart’s glove.
Stuart got the win, scattering 11 hits and allowing three earned runs, striking out nine and walking three.
Erika Shrock took the loss in relief of Brooke Wise, allowing one run in one inning.
Fehlman and Lytle finished with three RBIs each for Warren, while Madigan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Jacobs had three RBIs and Shepard two for Conneaut, while Wise, Harrington, and Juliana Jacobs.
“We’re playing good,” coach Stuart said. “There’s definitely some things we need to tune up defensively and work on. We haven’t really had the chance, playing so many games in a row. But when we get some time before the playoffs we’re going to work on some of that stuff. I think we’re gelling really good. I think we’re right where we need to be right now.”
