Deerfield-Windsor’s seven-run rally falls short

ALBANY — Three outs from another loss, Deerfield-Windsor suddenly came alive.

Seven runs later, the Lady Knights had erased a seven-run deficit and turned a game that appeared over into a chance for their first victory of the season.

They just couldn’t finish it.

Flint River Academy scored an unearned run without a hit in the eighth inning and escaped with a 9-8 victory Monday after Deerfield-Windsor staged a remarkable seventh-inning comeback to force extra innings.

The loss dropped the Lady Knights to 0-4, but not before they nearly pulled off their first win in dramatic fashion.

Trailing 8-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Deerfield-Windsor needed almost everything to go right.

For a while, it did.

Emily Phillips started the rally with a single to left, and Mary Ruth Courtney followed with another. Jennings Currington lined an RBI single to center, and Claire Hockman was hit by a pitch to keep the pressure on.

After Flint River recorded an out, Reynolds Bryson drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 8-3.

Then the hits — and runs — kept coming.

Aubrey Ross singled to left to drive home two, cutting the deficit to 8-5. Millie Champion followed with a two-run single, and suddenly a game Deerfield-Windsor had trailed by seven was down to one run.

Parker Bryson was hit by a pitch before Phillips, batting for the second time in the inning, reached on an error that brought home the tying run.

Courtney followed with her second single of the inning, but Flint River finally stopped the rally with two fielder’s-choice outs.

“We were able to work some deep counts and force their pitcher to throw pitches that our hitters were looking for,” Deerfield-Windsor coach Dwayne Suggs said. “A few hits, walks and a couple of errors gave us the chance to tie it up. Our girls battled hard late in the game.”

The Lady Knights’ chance to complete the comeback disappeared in the eighth.

Flint River didn’t need a hit to regain the lead, scoring the eventual winning run on a Deerfield-Windsor error to go back in front 9-8.

Flint River had built its early advantage with a four-run third inning after the teams were tied 1-1. Austin Belle Cass drove in a run with a single, Lyla Johnson brought home two with a triple and Lyllie Crooks added an RBI double.

Courtney pitched six innings in relief for Deerfield-Windsor, striking out five while allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits. Ross started in the circle and struck out four in two innings.

Ross also went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Courtney collected two hits. The Lady Knights finished with eight hits and drew seven walks.

Deerfield-Windsor will get another shot at its first victory Thursday when the Lady Knights travel to Crisp Academy for a 6 p.m. game.