Lights out: Darkness suspends Carmichaels-C-H classic after 13 innings
By Joe Tuscano
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
HOUSTON – Whenever Chartiers-Houston and Carmichaels meet in a softball game, some stranger things can happen.
But nothing was more strange than Tuesday’s game at Allison Elementary School.
The two teams took swings at one another with no avail. The game, which Chartiers-Houston rallied from a 2-0 deficit, tied the game with two runs in the third and added two more in the fourth. It stayed that way until Carmichaels tied the game in the top of the seventh. Each team scored a run in the 10th but that was it. The game was called because of darkness after 13 innings with the game tied 5-5.
Chartiers-Houston came in with 4-0 record in Section 2A and 6-1 overall mark. Carmichaels was 3-0 and 6-1.
No one was quite sure what would happen next but the two teams play Friday in Carmichaels and both coaches thought the game could be finished there.
“This has to be the longest game for me,” said Carmichaels head coach Dave Briggs. “We had chances to win; they had chances to win. Hats off to (pitcher) Bailey (Barnyak). It’s almost like Deja vu. The two games we played last year she took a line drive last year and had to labor through the game. She has a bruised elbow and got hit in the thigh.
Still Barnyak’s pitch count was approaching 200 when the game was called.
“It’s always a fun game with them,” Barnyak said of Chartiers-Houston. “I love the competition we have with them.”
Carmichaels shortstop Carys McConnell knocked in a run in the third inning and one in the critical seventh inning. McConnell hit two triples to drive in the runs.
Carmichaels scored in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Katie Waggert struck out but the catcher couldn’t hold onto the ball and Waggert beat the throw to first base. She stole second base and moved to third on another strikeout that got away and scored on a wild pitch.
Chartiers-Houston tied the score in the third when C-H pitcher Meadow Ferri doubled in one run and scored on an error. The Bucs went up 4-2 in the fourth. Emily Swarrow doubled to left field and Alexas Fetsko was hit by a pitch. Ella Richey drove them both in with a double to left field.
Ferri threw just over 200 pitches and had 25 strikeouts.
“I’m just a little tired.” said Ferri. “This is the first time I went 13 innings. But it was a lot of fun.”
Once the game reached the 10th inning, the game was played under tiebreaking rules. That meant that each half-inning started with the runner who made the last out of the previous inning placed on second base. Even under those conditions, both teams could score a combined two runs.
“I think it makes the game more interesting,” said Ferri. “It helps to move the game along.”
Chartiers-Houston head coach Tricia Alderson said she had never played or coached in a game that was called because of darkness.
“It’s very weird,” Alderson said. “The athletic directors will have to work this out. It could go a lot more innings.”