Frost — After defeating Itasca 5-2 in a district rematch this past Friday followed by Saturdays 10-0 win over visiting 3A Ferris, the Lady Gladiators had their momentum gage maxed out as they headed into a district rematch against Frost.

Scoreless thru the first two-and-a-half innings, the Frost Lady Polar Bears put 3 runs on the board in the bottom of the third to put pressure on the visiting Lady Gladiators.

Even though Frost’s first two runs came off a 2RBI homer over the left field fence, Italy pitcher Jaclynn Lewis could only smile as her infield joined in her the circle to help the junior shrug it off.

A momentum killer—Frost was hoping they had rattled Italy but the Lady Gladiators didn’t seem concerned at all and quickly showed why in the bottom of the fourth-inning.

A walk by Lewis put April Lusk on the first base bag as a pinch runner. Then a single from Madison Washington moved Lusk to third, beating the throw over to third-base. With the throw to third, Washington moves over to second base. Italy now has two in scoring position.

Sophomore Lilie Perry belts a grounder for a base hit and Lusk scores in a flash as Italy makes the score 3-1, still in favor of Frost. Perry gets congratulated by first-base coach Michael Chambers and Washington stands atop third-base with her eyes in the direction of home.

Head coach Wayne Rowe blares out the signals as senior Paige Westbrook breaks the huddle and then steps into the batters’s box. A wild pitch sends the anticipating Washington home and with a strong slide that that props her back up to her feet. Washington pulls Italy within 1 run, 3-2. Perry wisely replaces Washington at third.

Westbrook takes a couple of strikes but then puts the ball into play forcing Frost’s infield to make a decision. Looking Perry back, Frost opts to make a play at first-base. Perry remains at third. During Wallis’ at-bat, Perry scores on a passed ball to tie the score 3-3. Wallis grounds-out but not before before Italy got what they needed from their offense.

The Lady Gladiators return to defense in hopes of shutting down Frost in the bottom of the fourth. Perry, at catcher, secures the first out for Italy after getting her mitt under a foul tip that deflects off her shoulder. Hannah Washington, at third base, steps under a pop-up for the second out with big sis Madison Washington backing her up from short. Frost puts the ball into play and Westbrook covers the grounder in front of her and then avoids a wild elbow as she tags the passing runner for the third out. Game remains 3-3.

Frost’s defense makes quick work of Italy’s batters in the top of the fifth-inning so the Lady Gladiators rely on Lewis to return the favor in the the bottom half of the inning. The first two are grounders back to the mound with Lewis covering both and easily making the the throws to Westbrook at first for the first two outs. Frost keeps firing with a blooper into left with Washington hurrying the ball into Eubank and then a second shot into left with Britney Chambers rushing the throw back into the infield.

Hannah Washington gets Italy out of the jam when she gloves a sharp grounder hit toward third-base and then turns to tag the bag before Frost can reach it. That’s the third out Italy needed and the score stays knotted at 3-all.

Kelsey Nelson slugs her way onto first base but is out on the next play, a double play by Frost, getting both Nelson and Lewis out. Washington is out on a grounder to the pitcher. Score still 3-3.

Again, Lewis and company will have to shutdown the Frost offense with the game now in the bottom of the sixth. Strike-outs by Lewis gets the first two outs for Italy. The third out was a line drive to the circle, where Lewis makes the snag. The the Lady Gladiators now rush to the dugout to try and make the most of what could be their last at bat.

Perry sheds her catching gear, straightens her batting helmet and then digs in at the plate where moments later she zips one into the Frost outfield for a lead-off double. Perry with a nice start to the top of the seventh for the Lady Gladiators.

With Westbrook at the plate, Perry eventually takes third. Westbrook takes a couple of strikes but then grounds one back to the mound where Frost’s pitcher opts to hold Perry at third. Westbrook reaches first with ease and Lizzie Garcia is sent in to pinch run for Westbrook.

Wallis, who scoping out the situation from the batter’s box, decides to guide a hit toward first and second-base knowing Perry would have a sure chance of scoring. Wallis executes her master plan and Perry scores the go ahead run while Frost is preoccupied with throwing Wallis out at first. 4-3 Italy leads for the first time in the game. Garcia advances to second.

Hannah Washington takes a turn at bat and quickly hits one into play. Frost makes the throw to first for the second out but Garcia reaches third. Italy’s next batter strikes out, but again, the Lady Gladiators got what they needed and were just three outs away from completing the comeback.

Lewis returns to the circle. Frost hits one toward first-base where Westbrook has been collecting grounders all game and secures this one before tagging the bag for out number one. Against the next Frost batter, Perry mishandles a third strike pitch but comes up throwing to first-base. The throw carries a bit over the Frost runner but Westbrook leaps in the air to make the catch above her head and then comes down on the bag for the out. Two away.

Lewis delivers nothing but strikes to take down the final Frost batter, and with that, the Italy fans stand and let out a roar as they Lady Gladiators redeem themselves in their district rematch against the Lady Polar bears for the 4-3 win in a full seven innings of play.

With the win, the Lady Gladiators improve to 3-2, are back in the district race and are now in sole possession of second place. Way to go, Ladies!

Go Italy!