Elgin 3, Larkin 2

Beating an archrival can do a lot to help a team forget an otherwise tough season. The opportunistic Elgin Maroons got to celebrate Thursday after beating Larkin, 3-2, in an Upstate Eight Conference softball game at Elgin.

Larkin outhit the Maroons 11-5. But Elgin played solid defense, winning pitcher Kelly Patchett didn't walk anybody, and the Maroons scored the winning runs on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.

It was the second win of the season for Elgin (2-13, 2-6 in the UEC).

Already leading 1-0 on Caris Alan's RBI single, Elgin loaded the bases in the fifth on 2 walks and an infield hit. Lindsey Morrow then drew a walk, forcing in 1 run. When the ball got past Larkin's catcher, Brandi Hernandez alertly scored all the way from second base.

"Brandi Hernandez is probably the fastest kid I've ever coached," said Elgin coach Peg Corcoran. "She's a heady baserunner. When she gets going, it's hard to stop her. It was a gamble, but when you struggle to score runs like we have, you have to take advantage of those situations."

Those runs came in handy when the Royals' offense finally erupted in the sixth inning. Victoria Nino singled and Sarah McCleary doubled. Pinch-hitter Kailee Moore drove them both in with a single. Rebecca Prenak also singled, putting runners on first and third with 2 outs, but Patchett retired Megan Johnson to get out of the inning.

Ellis Hatchett had 4 of the Royals' 11 hits, and Nino had 3 more. But the Royals (4-16, 4-7) had a runner thrown out stealing and left 8 more on base. Larkin had at least one baserunner in each inning.

"You really just have to live in the moment," said Patchett. "I kept telling myself all game, because it's so easy to get ahead of yourself. You have to stay focused with every pitch and every hitter."

Hernandez had 2 of the Maroons' 5 hits and scored twice.

Patchett struck out four.

"We've got to get out of walking people," said Larkin coach Larry Hight. "Two of those (3) walks scored, and that's the difference in the game. Give credit to their pitcher, she didn't walk a soul. She kept them in the game."

Larkin had a chance to tie in the seventh after Hatchett led off with a single. She advanced to second on a passed ball. Regina Cozzone then lofted a popup near the pitching circle that dropped between 2 Elgin players. However, Alan was able to throw out Hatchett trying to take third for the second out. Patchett then got the final out to end it.