Union defeats Dawson in extra inning thriller
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Catcher Lauren Dyer saves a run, blocking the plate and tagging out the runner.

Call it a homerun of a bunt. That's what allowed the Lady Panthers a walkoff win in their first subregion game, a victory over the rival Lady Tigers of Dawson County.

The teams had been locked in a scoreless tie through the first seven innings of play, forcing an eighth inning and an international tiebreaker rule. The rule automatically places a runner on second base for each team in extra innings.

Dawson had its opportunity in the top half of the eighth, but April Harper remained strong on the mound and the Lady Tigers were unable to take advantage of their token runner. Harper was then designated the baserunner for Union County in the bottom half of the inning. An errant throw then allowed her to reach third base with only one out in the inning and Lauren Dyer stepping to the plate.

The Lady Panthers attempted a squeeze play that didn't work out quite like they planned, but worked all the same. The pitcher delivered a rise ball, but Dyer was able to make contact. "I figured she was going to throw a rise ball on that last pitch," said Head Coach Jessica Stewart. "Somehow, I don't know how, [Lauren] got up there and got it. It was a squeeze play so she knew she had to get the bat on it because April was coming home."

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam The girls celebrate the big win.

But rather than hit the ground, the ball sailed into the air. It traveled so far that it actually made it over the entire infield, which had been drawn in to guard against the bunt. As the ball hit the ground, Harper crossed the plate for the game winning run, before jumping into the arms of Dyer as their coaches and teammates ran onto the field. "It was big. They were really

pumped up about that game because last year I don't think they were able to beat them," said Coach Stewart. "It was a good victory for us.

Both teams had dominant pitching and effective defense. In fact, the game was full of close plays that could have changed the outcome. Earlier in the game Dawson sent a runner to home plate, but second baseman Dana Seabolt hurled a strong relay throw to Lauren Dyer, who blocked the plate, forcing the Dawson runner to slide around her. Dyer tagged the runner before she could slap home plate with her hand.

Sentinel photos/Jared Putnam The game was filled with close plays, and any one of them could have changed the outcome. Above: The Dawson baserunner barely makes it into second base ahead of the tag from Dana Seabolt. Below: Brooklyn Swartz scoops the throw out of the dirt just before the baserunner's foot hits the bag at first.

Brooklyn Swartz played strong defense at first base, sometimes digging throws out of

the dirt to get the out. "Brooklyn is solid over there," said Coach Stewart. "She's a good first baseman and she's probably the most consistent player we have [on defense.]" April Harper struck out nine, including one key strikeout that ended the inning when the Lady Tigers had the bases loaded in the sixth. Said Coach Stewart, "April is good in pressure situations."

The remainder of the Lady Panthers games are subregion play, with the exception of one more tournament that pits the team against larger schools, but does count in the standings. "Playing better teams is going to make us better," said Coach Stewart. "We hope to go 8-0 in the subregion. That's the goal."

Sentinel photos/Jared Putnam Harper scores the winning run before leaping with excitement.