E.D. White rallies to beat Berwick for 9-3A title

In Tuesday’s District 9-3A championship game, it all came down to the seventh inning.
E.D. White had squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth inning, plating one run before leaving the bases loaded after a tough catch by Berwick right fielder Sydney Aucoin for the third out of the inning.
Now, the home standing Lady Panthers was just three outs away from securing a 6-4 victory and a district title.
However, misfortune for the Lady Panthers and timely hitting by E.D. White allowed the Cardinals to plate three runs, and pitcher Avery Sanders retired Berwick in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 7-6 win.
“Our team is very strong this year hitting and fielding so I wasn’t worried,” E.D. White coach Linda Sanders said. “I knew that they would come back.”
With one out in the top of the seventh, E.D. White loaded the bases via back-to-back singles by Sydney Bordis and Avery Sanders and an error by Berwick’s Rosalyn Gros allowed Ann Marie Schwaner to reach.
The next batter, Scout Blades, was hit by a pitch that Berwick coach Lloyd Burchfield came out to contest to no avail, which allowed a run to score, cutting Berwick’s lead to 6-5.
With the bases still full, the next batter, Anna Rodenberg, singled to left field allowing two runs to score and give E.D. White a 7-6 lead.
While the Lady Panthers escaped any further damage, in the bottom of the seventh, Sanders retired them in order.
“That was a great high school softball game,” said Berwick coach Lloyd Burchfield, who was recognized after the game and greeted by former players as he will be retiring at the end of the season. “We didn’t win, but it’s why we do what we do. We didn’t quite do enough to win. We didn’t get (any) breaks, but you make breaks usually. They’re a pretty good softball team, and I think we’re right there with ’em.”
E.D. White led for much of the game, taking a 1-0 advantage in the second inning on an error, and the Lady Cardinals scored two in the third inning on a wild turn of events.
Kali Clement led off the inning with a bunt single, while the next batter, Triston Gros, reached on an error by Berwick catcher Mary Jordan Melancon.
However, after Gros reached safety, Clement went to third base as Shelby Bergeron ran the ball back near the mound.
At the same time, Gros stopped between first and second base, and Berwick threw the ball to second base. However, Gros was safe on the play.
Meanwhile, Clement headed for home and scored, and Melancon had trouble getting by Clement to get to the ball.
Simultaneously, Gros came around and scored on the play for a 3-0 E.D. White lead.
Berwick responded with two runs in the bottom of the third via a sacrifice fly by Shannon Theriot that scored Emma Hover, and later in the inning, a single to right field by Aucoin scored Bergeron.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth when Berwick plated three runs on three-run double by Aucoin to the gap in right-centerfield for a 6-3 Berwick lead.
Aucoin finished the game 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs.
Avery Sanders earned the win. In seven inning of work, she surrendered six runs on 13 hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Berwick’s Rennen DeLatte suffered the loss. In seven innings, she surrendered seven runs on 10 hits with one hit batter and fanned one.
Offensively, Theriot finished 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, an RBI and two runs.
Other top contributors included Jordan Lipari, 3-for-3, an RBI, two stolen bases and two runs; Bergeron, 2-for-3, two stolen bases and two runs; and Jaci Arnold, 2-for-3.
Berwick (12-15) will return to action today when it travels to Lafayette to face Teurlings Catholic in a 4 p.m. contest.