By Rob Potter
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — The Discovery Center Diamonds wasted little time in taking the lead in Wednesday night’s Sullivan County Women’s Softball League game at Gary A. Bradley Field at the White Sulphur Springs Firemen’s Park.
Discovery Center scored eight runs in the top of the first inning on its way to a 25-11 victory over International Contractors Corporation (ICC).
Stephanie Johnson was the first batter of the game and she reached base with an infield hit. After an out was recorded, Johnson gave Discovery Center a 1-0 lead when Terri Lewis doubled to right center field. Lewis scored the team’s second run when the next batter, April VanOrden, singled.
Later in the inning, VanOrden and Colleen Robinson both crossed home plate as Melissa Pena reached base on an error. Nicole Feller and Johnson both hit two-run singles to give Discovery Center an 8-0 advantage.
After an RBI single by Lindsay Rossmiller extended the Discovery Center lead to 9-0 in the top of the second, ICC got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second.
April Bracken led off the frame by hitting a double to left center field. Becca Ramirez then reached base on an error, which allowed Bracken to score. Ramirez scored when Meredith Rivera hit an infield single.
In the top of the third, Discovery Center scored four runs to extend its advantage to 13-2. Lewis hit a two-run single to center field and Jacque LaBagh and VanOrden each had an RBI single.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth inning. In that frame, Discovery Center scored three times to make it a 16-2 game.
Feller crossed the plate on an infield hit by Christine Record and VanOrden and Robinson both hit sacrifice flies into the outfield.
Melissa Ebeling led off the bottom of the fifth for ICC and gave her teammates reason to cheer as she belted an inside-the-park home run to left field. Jodi Kane, Lynda Bracken and Ramirez added RBI singles in the inning as ICC closed to within 10 runs at 16-6.
ICC (3-6) cut its deficit to nine runs at 16-7 in the bottom of the sixth. With one out and the bases loaded, Elaine Morrigia reached base on a fielder’s choice and Chrissy Chandler scored on the play.
Discovery Center answered with nine runs in the top of the seventh. Key hits in the inning included RBI singles by Heidi Mosser, Joan Krieger, Feller and Johnson.
ICC scored four runs with a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded, Melissa Porter ripped a triple to center field. The hit allowed all three runners – Lynda Bracken, April Bracken and Rivera – to cross the plate.
Porter scored the final run of the game when Ebeling reached base on a fielder’s choice.
With the win, Discovery Center, which defeated Squires’ House Cleaning the previous evening, improved its season record to 3-7.