Early deficit costs Bellevue in loss

BELLEVUE — Just keep fighting. Despite being within range of a run-rule loss, Bellevue did just that Wednesday. Ultimately, the Lady Red ran out of time, falling 8-5 to Gibsonburg in Sandusky Bay Conference crossover action. "I told them I didn't know what time the schedule said, but the game did start at 4:45 and not 6:15," Bellevue coach Logan Hurst said. "We have to play from the jump. I will say they clawed their way back. We just have to start like that from the first pitch now." The Lady Red (0-2) trailed 8-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning after Gibsonburg No. 9 hitter Katie Hall clubbed her second home run of the day. Ava Meyer singled, went to second on a failed pick-off attempt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She then scored on a single from Jaelynn Powers. In the sixth inning, Chloe Easterwood led off with a bunt single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Waldrup. Mallory Hay followed with a single to cut the deficit to 8-2. Ryleigh Knutti then singled before a groundout for the second out of the inning. The runners moved up on the play, which then allowed a run to score when MyahAnn Reesman struck out, but the third strike was dropped. Bellevue nearly made things really interesting in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Lily Sosa singled with one out before Easterwood reached on an error. With runners on second and third with two outs, Hay singled again to bring the Lady Red within 8-5. Knutti then clocked a double to the wall, bringing the tying run to the plate. But, Gibsonburg (2-1) pitcher Ava Amor got a grounder back to herself to end the threat. Bellevue was able to make a run at it because Hay retired seven of the last eight batters of the game following Hall's home run. "She's usually pretty stoic out there," said Hurst of the sophomore pitcher. "I could tell that they were getting under her skin a little bit. I had to tell her to settle in and keep working. She was really hot last night (7-5 loss at Edison). "Starting slow like that was a little out of the ordinary for her. You have to keep after her." The Golden Bears clobbered the ball early and often against Hay. Mackenzie Muntz roped a two-out double into right in the first inning to put Gibsonburg up 1-0. In the second inning, Hall smacked her first home run of the day, a solo shot. Emma Jividen followed with a double before a single from Mia Brink made it 3-0. In the fourth inning, Elly Evarts and Hall each singled. After an out, a sacrifice fly from Brink pushed the advantage to 4-0. Amor then helped her own cause with a two-run blast, putting Gibsonburg up 6-0. Hall's second home run of the day in the fifth inning made it 8-0. "I definitely wasn't expecting 1 through 9 to be able to pound it like that all game," Hurst said. "It was first or second pitch every at-bat that was solid contact. You have to give them credit, for sure." Bellevue was slow out of the gate against Amor. She put down the first 11 Lady Red hitters before Hay and Knutti each singled in the fourth. Amor bounced back with one of her eight strikeouts of the day to keep her team in control. "We felt off at first," Hurst said. "You have to give (Amor) credit. She had several different speeds. She was keeping us on our toes. I think we have to communicate better. I think we have to tell each other that. I didn't really hear them start taking a better approach until the fifth inning." Bellevue is back in action Thursday when it travels to Firelands. That wraps up a three games in three days stretch. "It's going to battle test us," Hurst said. "It's what we want. "I think coming back the next day, we can make those adjustments. Those things are fresh in our mind. We can have that hunger." Gibsonburg 120 320 0 — 8 11 1 Bellevue 000 012 2 — 5 11 2 WP: Amor. LP: Hay (0-2). 2B: (G) Muntz 3, Jividen; (B) Knutti. HR: (G) K. Hall 2, Amor