Senecas squeak by rival Blue Jackets in 10-inning thriller

It was a throwback to when the teams met the first time, but this time, Calvert was on the right end this time around.Except this time, it took 10 innings to decide the winner. After being 2-2 at the end of the regulation play, and no runs in the eighth and ninth innings it all came down to the Senecas play.Kaleigh Concepcion scored the winning run on a Scarlett Faber sacrifice bunt to edge rival New Riegel 3-2."First off, hats to New Riegel," Calvert coach Leah Bouillon said. "They are a very good program over there. Tony (Conner) has a good squad over there. They have a good defensive end."If you look at the scoreboard and there are 10 innings with only five runs scored, that's a phenomenal game between two great programs. On our end, I couldn't be any more proud to be a Calvert Seneca as I am today. These girls have been working so hard all season long. It hasn't been just this game; working hard at practice, taking on the extra reps."The last time the two teams met was on April 14th, and that game went into extra innings as well, but NR won that one 4-3."The last game, we kind of just fell short a little bit in the last inning," senior Addison King said. "So we knew this game, we had to give it our all and have that high energy. We knew we had to hop on it before they could get us."Having the high energy that the Senecas (18-2, 12-2 SBC River) have become known for this season is something that has worked in their favor when they have needed it the most.This game was no exception and the Senecas had no problem handing the Blue Jackets (14-3, 11-1 SBC River) their first conference loss of the season."I think we picked up our energy once we realized how good we actually are," freshman pitcher Ava Eilrich said. "I think that is what helped us build momentum throughout the game and we worked together and talked as a team."Eilrich struck out 10, giving up four hits and two runs over the 10 innings, and only walked two. "She is a freshman in the circle," Bouillon said. "Being a freshmen in this rivalry, she took it and rolled with it, no matter if they got hits, she believed in her defense."In the top of the third inning is when the Blue Jackets got the bats swinging. After Eilrich walked Maddie Heilman, Jacqui Tiell smacked a double towards the fence that came just short of getting into Savannah Faber's glove. That allowed Heilman to run to third base.Alexis Mathias tattooed a ground ball out to center field, and got two RBIs.Calvert wasn't about to let it go to a shutout. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Concepcion bunted and got to first base before the ball could make it there. She then stole second base between a strike and a ball. Alysaa Rishty came to bat and smashed a double out to right field and earned an RBI when Concepcion slid into home plate.Then, to tie the game up, as it was 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Sofia Lee knew she had to get Savannah Faber home. Lee hit a single to left, and that was just enough for an RBI and to bring Faber home. It tied the game to allow it to go into the extra innings."Having the energy, especially with the batters and cheering when we made big plays, especially with offense and defense definitely helped in the dugout." Lee said."I think believing in each other played the biggest part," said Concepcion. "Everybody doing their role, whether it was cheering us on, or base running, no matter what, everyone did their role."I just told myself I can. I really believe in myself that I could do it, and I did it."