Lady Raiders nip Purple Eagles

Photo By Cheryl Wertman – Olivia Denny makes solid contact for Barker during the Lady Raiders home field victory over Albion this afternoon in the Niagara-Orleans League season opener.

Barker outlasted visiting Albion 13-12 this afternoon in a very chilly Niagara-Orleans League softball opener.

Destinee Hillman had three hits and Brooke Bodine and Mary Rounds two each to lead the attack for Barker.

Kelsee Soule had five hits, including a home run and four RBIs, for Albion which also got two hits each from Shannon Wells and Ashlee Bocach.

Barker grabbed a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning but Albion battled back to take an 8-3 advantage by erupting for eight runs in the third inning as Soule, Wells and Bocach each had a two-run single.

The Purple Eagles upped the advantage to 11-3 by scoring three times in the top of the fourth as Soule had a solo homer and Oliva Prest a single.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Kelsey Blackley started in the circle for Barker.

However, Barker came rallying back with four runs in the home half of the fourth, five more in the fifth and one in the sixth to claim the win.

Three errors, two walks and a single by Hillman keyed the fifth inning rally and a single by Bodine and an error accounted for what proved to be the deciding run in the sixth for the Lady Raiders.

Kelsey Blackley pitched the first three and two-thirds innings for Barker striking out three. Erika Moeller then came on to get out of the fourth inning jam and went on to register a total of seven strikeouts and allowing just three hits over the final three and two-third innings.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Meghan Hurley bangs out a hit for Albion.