Wellington vs. Brookside softball: Cardinals overcome slow start to defeat Dukes

Slow starts have been a habit that wouldn’t go away, but Brookside found ways to turn the tide.

All it needed was one play.

In a home Lorain County League game against Wellington, the Cardinals trailed, 2-0, after 2 1/2 innings. That was until the left fielder Aryanna Rivera hit a single to tie the game. From that point on, the offense continued to produce for an 8-3 victory April 15.

“It seems like we always start off slow. We get down behind, and we always make a run to make it a close game. They were able to execute and come out on top,” Brookside coach Marc Aliff said.

The bases were loaded from two batters hit by pitches and a walk to set up Rivera’s two-run single.

“I do agree with Coach (Aliff),” Rivera said. “We do often start games really slow. We try to have that energy. … It takes that one person to get everything started, and I feel like it takes that one thing to happen.”

Markie-Ann Aliff also batted in a run to take a 3-2 lead in the third inning. Rivera noticed a boost of energy and confidence from Brookside after the hit.

“After that big hit, I do feel like everyone was cheering and the energy went up so much,” Rivera said. “It went from down all the way up. The next batter said, ‘Now, it’s my turn. She did it, and now I have to do it.’ They (carry) the energy and do the same thing.”

Aliff suffered an ankle injury during AAU basketball. Yet she got on base twice and pitched a full game. She pitched all seven innings to strike out six Dukes. She also gave up two earned runs, six hits and four walks.

Wellington loaded the bases in the third and sixth innings, but Brookside’s defense made the plays to keep the game scoreless, behind Aliff.

“I have to give a lot of credit to my pitcher. She is my daughter. She sprained her ankle in AAU basketball this past weekend. She has been battling that,” Coach Aliff said. “She has not been throwing her best. She was able to throw strikes and get out of them. It also helped with the fielding, making plays and catching the ball.”

Dukes pitcher Mallory Pickering might not have dominated from inside the circle, but she did record three hits in four at-bats. She was walked the other time by Coach Aliff’s decision in the fifth inning. Pickering also scored two runs.

“Mallory (Pickering) is a beast at the plate. You cannot shut her down,” Wellington coach Merle Simmons said. “We moved her from leadoff to the No. 3 hitter. My leadoff hitter (Kiera Phillips) is a freshman, and she is hitting almost .500. We are trying to get it where we have people on base, so that Mallory is able to drive in some runs. Mallory hits the ball really hard every time and she is not a cheap out.”

Wellington dropped to 1-6.

“We let it get away,” Simmons said. “We are hitting the ball, but we are not getting the hits at crucial times. You come up with the bases loaded, and you strike out. That is not going to win you any ball games. … That is the story of our life. We are not able to get the big hit at the right time.”

Brookside knotted its record at 3-3 (1-1 in LC8) and hosted Black River on April 16. Wellington hosted Clearview on April 16.

THE SCORE (APRIL 15)

Brookside 8, Wellington 3