East beats Hamburg in dramatic fashion
Softball

Williamsville East defeated Hamburg, 3-2, on Friday at Hamburg to move into first place in ECIC Division II softball.

East scored in the top of the second when Chelsea Horne singled, moved to second on a ground out, to third on a wild pitch and scored from a Karen Kingsley fly ball to center field.

After Hamburg scored an unearned run in the fourth, the Lady Flames scored twice in the fifth. Kelly Rusin hit a single between third and short. Kingsley pushed a bunt passed the Hamburg third baseman as the corners rushed to play the bunt for a single. After a ground ball to second moved the runners to second and third, Courtney Hawkins singled over the third baseman to score Rusin and Taylor Klun singled home Kingsley.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hamburg's leadoff batter walked. With one out, a throwing error put runners on second and third. Third baseman Rachelle Arenos fielded a ground ball, checked the runner on third, and threw to first. The runner broke home and the relay from Rusin to Klun was in time for Taylor to tag out the runner. The throw to first by Arenos was not in time for the out.

With runners again at second and third, Kingsley struck out the last Hamburg batter for a dramatic finish. Kingsley scattered seven hits over seven innings and struck out three. East managed nine hits.

Earlier in the week, East beat Lake Shore, 7-2, last Wednesday and Tonawanda, 3-2, last Thursday, both at Transit Middle School.

Rusin pitched well for the win against Lake Shore, allowing one run over five innings. Meagan Allers pitched two innings and gave up no runs. Kingsley allowed one run.

In the first, Bridget Steele singled, stole second base and scored on a single by Taylor Klun.

Four runs were plated in the fourth. Arenos singled and scored on Jessica Windnagle's home run. Rusin walked, moved to third on Hawkins' single and scored on Steele's single. Klun singled home Hawkins.

Two more runs were added in the fifth with singles by Arenos, Windnagle, a fielding error and a single by Anna Stolzenburg.

East put itself in a 2-0 hole with Tonawanda but rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Arenos had a bunt single and stole second base, Hawkins singled, Klun grounded out to score Arenos, Windnagle singled home Hawkins and Ally Kotz singled home Windnagle.

East (5-1, 3-0) played at Maryvale on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Lady Flames play at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Iroquois, host Amherst at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at Transit Middle School and play at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at West Seneca East.