Lady Oracles win two in extra innings
By John Dunn Contributing sportswriter

After not being able to compete with Mother Nature, which forced the cancellation of this season's first five of seven regularly scheduled games, the Delphi girls' softball team finally made their debut with two impressive come-from-behind extra-inning wins over Tri- County (4-3 in 8 innings) and Carroll (2-1 in 10 innings).

Sandwiched between those two thrillers was a rare Friday night double-header against Hoosier Conference favorite Benton Central, moved up a day due to anticipated weather conditions on Saturday. The Bison defeated the Lady Oracles by scores of 10-0 and 14-5.

In Monday night's game against Carroll played at Delphi, timely-hitting and base-running proved to be crucial factors in a well pitched game by both team's as Oracle pitchers Amanda Schultz and Brittney Attwood combined to only allow four Cougar hits, while striking out seven and walking none.

Equally effective was Carroll pitcher Leann Cossairt, who scattered only five Oracle hits, striking out four.

Carroll scored the game's first run in the top-of-the-4th inning as Cossairt led-off with a single and was sacrificed to second base on a bunt by Brooke Yoder.

Following an Oracle error that allowed Kollette Gillam to reach first base safely and an infield pop-up for an out, Ashley Miller came through with an RBI single to right-center, scoring Cossairt from third.

Atwood would allow only one more Cougar hit the rest of the way, a lead-off single by Yoder in the top-of-the-9th inning.

Delphi rallied to tie the game in the bottom-of-the-7th inning as Brianne Stauffer led-off with a walk, and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Kristina Barnard as Coach Randy German implemented a "small-ball" strategy against a fierce wind blowing-in from left-center.

Stauffer advanced to 3rd base on another bunt by Atwood, who was safe at first. Following an infield pop-up for the second out, Brittany Tyner came through with a clutch two-out line-drive single into left-center, scoring Stauffer to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Aspen Wallace, a courtesy runner for the pitcher Atwood, was thrown out at the plate on the play on a nice throw from Miller in left-center to end the inning trying to score what would have been the game-winning run.

Carroll loaded the bases with no outs in the 9th inning, but was unable to score as two straight infield grounders were converted into force outs at home, before a grounder to shortstop ended the rally.

The Oracles were able to literally steal the game in the bottomof the-10th inning when Erika Hawn led-off with a walk, and was lifted for the fleet-footed pinch-runner Wallace, who then stole second on the first pitch to the next batter Tyner, and then ran all the way home for the winning run after an errant throw to second base.

Schultz added a double in the game for Delphi, with Barnard, Tyner and Kayla Yates accounting for the other Oracle hits. Krystal Brazel had the only other hit for Carroll.

The Oracles (2-2) will host Pioneer on Wednesday at 4:30 pm, before traveling to Clinton Central for a make-up game on Thursday, starting at 5 p.m. Delphi will then travel to Rensselaer for a Saturday morning doubleheader beginning at 9, then play at Carroll on the back-half of the home-and-home series on Monday night at 4:30.

The Cougars (1-2) continue a busy stretch in their schedule, hosting Tri-County Tuesday night (too late for print) before traveling to Tri-Central on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Carroll then plays at Taylor on Thursday at 4:30, and at Peru on Friday at 5 before returning home to host Delphi on Monday and Central Catholic on Tuesday at 4:45 p.m.

Vs. Tri-County

In the season-opener played last Tuesday in Delphi, the Oracles were again forced to work overtime for another come-frombehind, extra-inning affair against Tri-County, avenging last season's 3-2 loss with a 4-3 8-inning victory.

After the Cavaliers put a run on the board in the top-of-the-1st inning, Delphi came back with two runs in the bottom-half of the inning on consecutive 2-out singles from Emily Kayser, Leslie Kayser, Barnard and Schultz.

Tri-County then scored a run in each of the next two innings to take a 3-2 lead that would hold until the Oracles tied it in the bottom of-the-5th when Yates drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on another Emily Kayser single. Yates then scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch.

Still tied in the bottom of the 8thand following a lead-off walk to L. Kayser, Delphi again reached into the gift bag on a Barnard bunt that forced another errant throw by the catcher, scoring the speedster courtesy-runner Wallace (running for the catcher Kayser) with the game-winner.

Barnard and Schultz led the Oracle offense with two hits and an RBI apiece, while Stauffer and the Kaysers each added two hits. Yates had the other single to balance out the offensive barrage.

Atwood was also strong on the mound in her season debut, pitching a complete game, allowing only three hits and striking out nine. She also gave up only one earned run.

Vs. Benton Central

On Friday night, a talented and veteran Benton Central team (6- 1) visited the Oracles for Hoosier Conference opening twin-billing and handed Delphi its first two losses of the season.

Bison pitcher Emily Butler was the story of game one, throwing a one-hitter and striking out seven in the five-inning contest, shortened via the 10-run rule.

Atwood collected the lone Oracle hit with a single in the 2nd inning.

Butler returned to the mound for the second game, played at Riley Park in order to have lights for the nightcap.

This time, Delphi was able to compete a bit better, rallying to close the margin to 6-5 in the 6th inning before Benton Central sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom-half of the inning, scoring 8 times to put the game out of reach.

The Oracles were able to have some success at the plate, finishing with seven hits led by L. Kayser with two. Yates, Stauffer, Barnard and Atwood all had singles, while Schultz hit the first triple of the season, leading off the three-run 5th inning rally. Hawn posted the lone RBI for Delphi on a sacrifice bunt during the two-run 6th inning.