🥎🥎 THE 67 GAME SOFTBALL EDITION 

🆚 Marriotts Ridge vs Long Reach 

📍Columbia, Maryland @ Long Reach HS

📝 Kmillz (MFVAllSportsNetwork)

A beautiful sunny afternoon fell upon the softball field at Long Reach High School. The Marriotts Ridge Mustangs traveled from Marriottsville to battle it out on a sun lit field. There could not be a more perfect atmosphere for some serious softball action to go down. 

Coach Heather Clausen gathered her ladies together to encourage them to play their game of softball. Long Reach had been on a small winning streak and wanted to add another W to the list. Coach Renard Parson of Marriotts Ridge seemed quite focused running his girls through warm ups, providing encouragement. The Mustangs were just coming off a close game losing by 1 run to the South River Seahawks. His team was looking to get back in to the swing of things.

INNINGS 1-3 – It wasn’t long before the Mustangs were on the board, particularly hitting a home run that brought 3 runners home and a 5-0 lead (they had drawn first blood by 2 runs amid the beginning of first inning). It definitely lit a fire on the Marriotts Ridge side. However, Coach Clausen, who I perceive is a master at motivation, encouraged her ladies to stay focused while letting them know they were not playing Lightning softball.  Her words simulated that they were still in this.  They managed to get a run going in to the next innings down 1-7. 

INNINGS 4-6 – This was Long Reach’s come back portion of the game. They started by getting two runners home even though on a great attempt to get on second base failed.  They stayed fighting. After MFV took a brief restroom break, I came back to witnessing an excited Lightning squad as one of their players hit a home run. Some of the fans asked did I get it, to which I sadly answered “no” remembering watching that yellow ball fly over the fence as headed to try to set up my filming spot lol. The game became intense, now the Lightning were only down by a point, 6-7.

INNING 7 – All the Mustangs had to do was add some more runs to make Long Reach work for the W. But the Lightning were able to keep the Mustangs from adding any runs. Soon it was the bottom of the inning, and now their opportunity to take this game. The Ridge was able to prevent that from happening. This game ended in a Mustang victory!!!

CONGRATS MUSTANGS on a beautiful win and hopefully an encouragement to you for the upcoming games you face. You guys are great. PROUD of you LIGHTNING, you ladies put up a great fight and should be proud.  I believe this will be motivation for you in games ahead. TO BOTH, you guys are well coached.  COACH CLAUESEN, you are very to the point yet able to keep your ladies encouraged in the difficult times of the game. AWESOME!!!. COACH PARSON, you lead your ladies well.  You stay the course and don’t abandon what you know your team can achieve. It shows excellent.  KEEP SHINING MUSTANGS. KEEP ROCKIN LIGHTNING.

View the game highlights here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gkmPPnISjjE