JACKSON TWP. — Improbable. Unlikely. Memorable.
That’s just a few of the words that spring to mind when trying to describe Green’s 13-12 win over host Jackson in a key Federal League softball game Thursday, April 30. It was an end result made more unexpected after the Polar Bears jumped out to a 10-1 lead by the end of the second inning against the Bulldogs.
“It’s probably one of the greatest if not the greatest comeback I’ve ever seen in a high school game,” Green coach Ray Kent said. “You have to give the kids a lot of credit. They had faith in each other, put the bat on the ball and just kept chipping away.”
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You easily could have forgiven the Bulldogs for deciding it wasn’t their day after falling behind by such a large margin early. The temperature was below 50 degrees by the time the first pitch was thrown and a stiff breeze made it feel colder than that. With the plethora of winter coats, hats and scarfs visible in the stands, the atmosphere was closer to that of a football game than a softball game.
“I was actually afraid that was going to be the mindset,” Kent said. “I thought that had a possibility of happening. The kids decided they were not going to do that and that they were going to keep playing.”
Infielder Hayden Hart ended up producing the deciding run in the top of the seventh inning for Green. With the score tied 12-12, Hart grounded out to shortstop with one out to score the deciding run from third base.
“It was one of the most stressful games I have ever been part of,” Hart said. “We stuck together and worked as a team and found a way to win. This one definitely means a lot to us.”
The play put the cap on a nice game by Hart, who was 3-for-5 with three singles and four RBIs for the Bulldogs.
“Hayden worked really, really hard in the offseason,” Kent said. “She really improved. She’s hitting over .400 for us and is a really good player for us.”
Annie Liszewski also pushed through adversity to deliver a memorable game for Green. Liszewski pitched a complete game and went 1-for-4 with five RBIs. Liszewski’s lone hit was a three-run home run in the third inning that got the Bulldogs going.
The home run was an example of the grit Green played with all day. Liszewski appeared to hit a two-run double that bounced down the third-base line with the Bulldogs trailing 10-1. The play was controversially called a foul ball by the umpire and Liszewski had to come back to the plate with a two-strike count. Liszewski responded by driving the next pitch over the centerfield wall to make it 10-4.
“She showed a lot of mental toughness,” Kent said. “Bradley (University) is getting a great player.”
Jackson didn’t go quietly. Green battled back to take a 12-10 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Polar Bears scored one run on a fielding error and tied the score going into the final inning on a sacrifice fly by Kylie Kristoff.
Kristoff was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.
“I don’t know exactly how to put this one into words,” Jackson coach Adam Parker said. “The game turned into a slugfest. We were able to get to Annie early but our offense hit a wall in the middle innings. That’s not surprising. Annie is about as good a pitcher as you are going to see. I thought after we tied it in the sixth we had a chance but it didn’t happen for us. You have to give Green a lot of credit.”
The loss spoiled a major milestone for Jackson junior outfielder Gabbi Williamson, who recorded her 100th career hit for the Polar Bears. She finished 2-for-3.
“That was a great accomplishment,” Parker said. “She is having a great career and is only a junior.”
Green improved to 12-3 and 9-2 in the Federal League with only one league game left. Jackson is 13-4 and second in the Federal League with a 7-3 record and two league games remaining. A win over Perry on at home at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, would give the Bulldogs an outright league title.
“The Federal League is the toughest or one of the toughest leagues in the state,” Kent said. “I think you saw why today. Jackson is a really, really good team. Top to bottom, there are no easy games and you can’t take anything for granted.”
Reach Cliff at cliff.hickman@cantonrep.com
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Green softball stuns Jackson with big comeback from 10-1 deficit
Reporting by Cliff Hickman, Canton Repository / The Repository
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