East comes from behind to defeat Hamburg

Williamsville East softball opened the week with a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Hamburg on Monday, May 7. In a previous game, East defeated Hamburg, 3-1.

Trailing 1-0, East scored their first run in the top of the fourth when Rachelle Arenos doubled to the opposite field, Jessica Windnagle sacrificed Arenos to third and scored on a passed ball.

In the top of the seventh, Hamburg pitcher Katie Medina walked Courtney Rung, and Ally Kotz slapped a ball for a single. Chelsea Horne grounded to third, but a throwing error to first scored Rung and put Kotz at third and Horne at second. Freshman pinch hitter Kelly McNamara singled to drive in Kotz for the winning

run. Bridget Steele singled home Horne to give East a three-run seventh.

Relief pitcher Megan Allers finished the bottom of the seventh.

"The infield made great defensive plays," said East coach Ron Schumacher. "Rachelle Arenos caught a ball over her shoulder in shallow center field. Second baseman Ally Kotz robbed a hit up the middle in the bottom of the seventh to force the lead runner out at second. Karen Kingsley was very effective, moving her pitches around to keep the batters off balance."

East lost to Williamsville South, 8-3, on Wednesday, May 9 (see South story).

With four division losses, East needed to sweep the last four games to clinch second place in ECIC Division II and get home field for the first playoff game. East started by defeating Iroquois, 8-3, on Friday, May 11.

East scored first against Iroquois. In the top of the second, Arenos reached safely on an error and after stealing second, Kelly Rusin singled her home.

In the top of the fourth, Arenos singled and stole second. Horne singled, moving Arenos to third. Horne stole second and Rusin hit a double to drive in both runners. Anna Stolzenburg singled to move Rusin to third. Steele singled home Rusin followed by a two-RBI single from Rung to score Stolzenburg and Steele. The five-run fourth gave East a comfortable 6-0 lead.

Iroquois responded in the bottom of the fifth. Three singles and an error moved three runners across the plate.

Kingsley was not feeling well and was uncomfortable on the mound, said Schumacher. Allers came in relief with one out in the fifth to prevent Iroquois from scoring more runs. Allers allowed only two hits over the remaining 2.2 innings.

East scored two more insurance runs in the sixth. Rusin, who finished 3 for 3, singled to lead off the inning. Stolzenburg singled and both batters advanced on a passed ball. Windnagle singled home Rusin, and Taylor Klun singled home Stolzenburg.

Rung hit 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Windnagle and Klun were 2 for 4 with an RBI each. Rusin hit 3 for 3 with three RBIs.

Through the South game, Steele is hitting .447, Rung is batting .419 with 11 RBIs and Klun is hitting .294.

East (8-4, 5-4) hosted Iroquois on Tuesday, May 8, but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. Lake Shore comes to East for a doubleheader on Thursday starting at 4:30 p.m.

They close out the regular season next week with non-league games with Sweet Home, Wilson and Tonawanda