Silver Bay Upends Lady Rebels

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

Apr 8

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

WILLOW
RIVER – The Silver Bay Mariners used a four run seventh inning to come from behind and defeat the Rebels 10-7 Thursday afternoon in Willow River.

The comeback ruined the debut of new Moose Lake-Willow River softball coach Andrew Miller, who is also the Rebels’ girls basketball coach. It looked like a win was in the cards for the Rebels until Silver Bay spoiled the day.

Silver Bay jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Taylor Guzzo scored on a double by Marina Carter. The Rebels answered right back in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own. Kathryn Moonen and Kim Ergen scored on back to back hits from Katie Youngberg and Andrea Youngberg. The Rebels lead 2-1 after one inning.

Moose Lake-Willow River extended the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third inning when they scored three runs off of three hits and a walk. Ergen scored the third run off of a fielder’s choice from Katie Youngberg. Andrea Youngberg drove in her second run of the game, bringing in Kaitlyn Greene. Andrea Youngberg scored the last run of the inning off of a single by Molly Wasche.

The Mariners answered back in the top of the fourth by scoring four runs to tie the game at 5-5. RBI singles by Rebecca Dilley and Shay Viola scored Nikki Babbitt and Jessalyn Rowlee. Then a two-out single from Kristen Sandstrom drove in Dilley and Rowlee to tie the game in the fourth inning.

The Rebels retook the lead in the fifth inning when Greene and Katie Youngberg both scored runs off of an RBI single from Molly Wasche, and the Rebels led 7-5 after five innings of play. The Mariners scored one run in the top of the sixth inning. Brittany Duresky scored on a RBI single from Sandstrom. Rowlee was thrown out at the plate on the same hit. A great throw from Maddy Adamczak from center field gunned down Rowlee at the plate to end the sixth with the Rebels leading 7-6.

The wheels came off of the wagon for the Rebels in the top of the seventh when the Mariners scored four runs with two outs to close out the Rebels and win by three runs. Carter, Katie Smedstad, and Duresky all scored on a single from Rowlee. There was a throwing error that allowed one of the runs to come across. Rowlee then scored the last run of the game on a RBI single from Shay Viola to close out the scoring.

The Mariners improve to 2-0 on the season and are in action again next Friday when they play at Mt. Iron-Buhl. The Rebels open the season at 0-1 and will face long time rival Esko next Tuesday in Esko.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com