Bradford High scored runs in the first five innings Thursday at Pitt-Bradford.
Then at the worst time, the offense slowed, allowing Kane to escape with an 11-9 non-league victory at the Kessel Athletic Complex.
Kane, which was down 9-5 going into the sixth inning, was able to get its offense working in the sixth and seventh innings.
“We had six errors, three that came from the last inning which ultimately cost us the game,” Bradford High coach Misty Antonioli said. “Even though we lost tonight, I am so incredibly proud of the way the girls played together as one unit.”
Kane also benefitted from a fielding error in the top of the seventh that let the tying run score. Two more would cross the plate before the inning was over and Bradford High couldn’t muster any offense in the bottom of the seventh.
“We know where we are losing our focus,” Antonioli, the Lady Owls’ first-year coach, said. “The key is just figuring out how we fix that.”
Kane was credited with four errors on the day, but held Bradford High to just four hits.
With the Lady Owls leading 4-2 after two innings, Bradford High continued to pile on early, thanks to some defensive gaffs.
Makenzie Smith walked, stole second on a botched pickoff attempt and then moved to third on a passed ball. Later in Bryn Manion’s at-bat, Smith found herself in a basepaths pickle, only to put the Lady Owls up three when the throw home tipped off the Kane player’s glove.
After Manion walked, she moved up on errors and scored on another passed ball to go up, 6-2.
Kane responded in the top of fourth, scoring three, highlighted by Rachael Morgan’s two-run double to inch back closer at 6-5. However, Bradford High plated a seventh run and then scored two more in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 9-5.
That’s when the comeback started, as Kane started to get to Lady Owls pitcher Kaylee Brown. Two Lady Wolves scored to get back within 9-7, but Brown delivered one of her four strikeouts to Alexis Lima-Lopez with runners on second and third.
In the seventh, infielder Marcie Stanisch opened the frame with a standup, lead-off double and then moved to third on a grounder by Sadie Tunall. Brown got a Kane batter to hit a would-be third out ball to center, but the catch was muffed, allowing the tying runs to score.
The Lady Wolves plated two more, while Bradford High was able to threaten in the bottom of the seventh. After walking again, Manion moved her way up to third and the Lady Owls had the tying run at the plate, but couldn’t find the last bit of offense needed to extend the game.
At the plate, Emily Warner went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Manion led the team in steals on the day.
With the loss, the Lady Owls drop to 0-5. Despite that, Antonioli sees bright spots with the young team.
“The girls communicated well together on the field, they put the bat on the ball and once on base, the girls were aggressive,” Antonioli said. “Kaylee Brown and Samantha Gross, our pitcher and catcher, respectively, are working the plate well.”
The Lady Owls return to action Tuesday against Oswayo Valley at Pitt-Bradford for a 4:15 p.m. first pitch.
