Gans Lady Grizzlies get first win of season, defeat Gore

The Gans Lady Grizzlies got win No. 1 of the 2023 fastpitch softball season Tuesday afternoon, getting a road victory over the host Gore Lady Pirates by a score of 23-12.

The Lady Grizzlies (1-2) never trailed in the game, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a passed ball and an RBI single by Brianna Burris.

Gans put a six-spot up in the second inning as Reina Gaona’s RBI single, back-to-back two-run doubles by K’Cee Osburn and Burris and Makinzie Kimble’s RBI groundout put the Lady Grizzlies ahead 8-0.

The Lady Pirates (1-6) scored their first run in the home half of the frame on Sophie O’Connor’s RBI groundout to cut the Gans lead to 8-1 after two innings.

The Lady Grizzlies roared right back in the third inning as Makenzy Hunter stole home to make it 9-1, then the score became 10-1 when Gabbie Price scored as Gore failed to record the out at first base when Gaona struck out but the pitch was dropped.

Two Gore errors produced three more runs to up the Gans advantage to 13-1 in the third inning.

The Lady Pirates got those five runs right back in their at-bat in the home half of the frame. Paige Curran’s two-run double, Cadi Shoemake’s steal of home, O’Connor’s RBI single and a Gans error helped Gore cut its deficit to 13-6 after three innings.

The Lady Grizzlies put the game into run-rule status with a 10-run fourth inning, highlighted by RBI singles by Gaona and Osborn, a steal of home by Price, an RBI double by Burris, two Gore errors, a bases-loaded walk to Price and steals of home by Audrey Lassiter and Hunter. When the final out was made, Gans seemingly had a comfortable 23-6 lead, needing just three outs to end the game by the run rule.

However, the Lady Pirates made the Lady Grizzlies get anxious in the home half of the fourth inning as Gore scored six runs to almost take the game out of run-rule status — and force a fifth inning.

An RBI groundout by Kennedy Williams, a passed ball, a Gans error, a two-run, inside-the-park home run by O’Connor and another Gans error cut the Gore deficit to 23-12. However, Burris, Gans’ starting pitcher, got the final batter to pop up to end the inning — and preserve the run-rule to end the game after four innings.

For the game, Burris was 4-for-4 with two doubles, four runs batted in and three runs scored, Gaona was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Osburn was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored for Gans. Burris (11) got the win, recording one strikeout.

In defeat, Kendra Huckbay was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, O’Connor was 2-for-3 with a two-run, inside-the-park homer and four RBIs, Curran doubled with two RBIs and two runs scored and River Shoemake doubled and scored twice.

Cheyenne Davidson (14) took the loss, going the first three innings with five strikeouts. Huckbay went the final inning with a strikeout.