Buchholz Softball Falls Short to West Port

The 2-11 Buchholz Bobcats hosted the 8-8 West Port Wolf Pack for a late afternoon game. Buchholz hoped to bolster their win rate with a victory against the away team. West Port had little momentum to offer after a 4-3 loss against the Wesley Chapel Wildcats.

First Innings

To begin, Buchholz put up a competitive game. West Port pulled ahead by the second and third innings. The Wolf Pack’s hitting game consistently threaded the needle of the Buchholz outfield. West Port pulled ahead 3-1 by the end of the third. 

Going into the fourth and fifth innings, the Bobcats showed their resilience and got their momentum going. In addition, big hits from Lindsey Orrin and Emily Sorah assisted in the Bobcats’s four runs in the fifth inning. 5-5 by the bottom of the sixth. Sneaky stolen runs by the Bobcats were essential to their comeback. 

The Bobcats showcased lockdown defense in the sixth inning. Lindsey Orton was able to showcase her pitching skills in this stretch. The opposing team could only catch pieces of her throwing work. 

Buchholz Comeback Attempt

With the game tied, a double from the Wolf Pack put the home team’s back against the wall. Great defense from the outfield kept the Wolf Pack on third base. Orton led the Bobcat outfield to two outs in a row. However, a lazy pitch from Orton two plays later led the Wolf Pack down home plate. The away team was up 6-5 at the end of the sixth. 

With the pressure on the Bobcats to score two runs, Buchholz began their comeback run with a single from Lily Mayhew. A pop-up ball earned the Wolf Pack their first out, and Lily Mayhew jumped at the chance to steal a base. However, the Wolf Pack’s outfield was too fast. A final strikeout gave the Bobcats their third and final out. As a result, this out ended the game 7-6. West Port completes a jump over .500 with this victory. 

A great showing from Buchholz was cut short by a fluke pitch and a base that was jumped on too early. Although the Bobcats sit at 2-12 currently, the team shows promise if they can tighten up in the big moments.