NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- Rocky River returned to the diamond Monday, and the Pirates fell in a Great Lakes Conference battle at North Olmsted. In an extra-inning contest that went nine innings, the Eagles won 5-4 on a walk-off single by Sara Gilley.

River trailed 3-2 heading into the top of the fifth inning. A Kate Tlapa double ignited a two-run inning, leapfrogging the Pirates in front 4-3.

North Olmsted countered in the bottom of the sixth when a two-out triple by Sydney Sukenik plated a game-tying fourth run.

The Pirates (3-2, 2-1 GLC) were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh and would be again in the eighth and ninth. Eagles starter Jenna Christner pitched a strong game, going the distance and striking out 12 batters. Christner allowed eight hits and three walks.

Katie Mommers started for the Maroon & White, and her ability to navigate through jams got the Pirates to the bottom of the ninth, when the home nine got its first two batters aboard, ahead of Gilley.

Gilley's walk-off single marked her fourth hit of the day; she went 4-for-4 with a walk.

Tlapa and Julianna Benjamin were just about the only Pirate batters to solve Christner. Both collected three hits in the game (Tlapa with two doubles and a single). The rest of the order was held to two hits in 29 at-bats. River went just 2-for-16 (.125) with runners in scoring position.



by Skip Snow

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