Brookwood explodes in 6th inning to beat Deerfield-Windsor

ALBANY — Deerfield-Windsor appeared poised to open the softball season with an impressive victory Tuesday.

Then everything unraveled in one inning.

Brookwood exploded for 19 runs in the sixth inning, erasing a three-run deficit and pulling away for a 24-8 victory over the Lady Knights.

Deerfield-Windsor battled back from an early 3-0 deficit to seize the lead midway through the game.

Jennings Curington sparked the comeback, driving in three runs with a single in the third inning to put the Lady Knights in front 4-3.

Brookwood answered with two runs in the fourth to regain the lead before Deerfield-Windsor tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on Marin Anthony’s RBI single.

The Lady Knights moved back in front in the fifth when Reynolds Bryson doubled home a run before another Brookwood error pushed the lead to 8-5.

The advantage was short-lived.

Brookwood sent 25 batters to the plate during a sixth inning that produced 19 runs on nine hits. Abby Anderson delivered the biggest blow with a three-run home run and finished with a game-high six RBIs.

Despite the loss, Deerfield-Windsor received several strong offensive performances.

Curington led the Lady Knights by going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. She singled in the first and third innings before tripling in the fifth.

Anthony also enjoyed a productive afternoon, collecting two hits in two at-bats while driving in a run.

Mary Ruth Courtney pitched into the sixth inning before taking the loss. Brookwood starter Josey Hollified allowed five runs over the first 3 1/3 innings before Anderson earned the victory in relief.

Brookwood finished with 15 hits, led by three-hit performances from Lyla West and Byce. Anderson, Hadlee Sessions, Hollified and Hadley Halbig each added multiple hits as the visitors erased what had been a promising Deerfield-Windsor lead.

The Lady Knights will look to bounce back in their next contest after showing they can compete with one of the state’s stronger programs before one disastrous inning changed the outcome.