Bryant turned its home diamond into a carousel during the second inning of its game against Stuyvesant.
The Owls would load the bases early in the inning and methodically work seven runs across the board. The big inning would be all senior pitcher Lana Kovac would need, as the Lady Owls cruised to a 9-1 victory Friday in a PSAL Class A crossover softball game.
Kovac, a second-year captain for Bryant (2-0 Queens A-II), struck out four batters and was anchored by an impressive team defensive performance. It was an effort that was highlighted by the golden glove of centerfielder Yarmese Jones.
Stuyvesant (3-1 Manhattan A) threatened the Owls with runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the third. Stuyvesant’s Kelly Quinn hit a fly ball deep to center that seemed like it would easily be enough to advance the runners and bring home the Renegades’ first run. Jones had other ideas. After making a clean catch, the junior delivered a strike to home plate, allowing catcher Denisa Music to make the tag and save a run. The double play killed what could have been a big inning for Stuyvesant and preserved Bryant’s large lead.
“I usually hold the ball when I catch it,” Jones said. “But I heard everybody say throw it and I know I have an arm. So, I did. I’ve been nervous on the field this season, but I feel like I broke out of my shell today.”
Later, during the sixth inning, opposing pitcher Alex Albright attempted to spark the Renegades by hitting a moonshot to deep center field, but Jones was on the job once again; she reached up and made a leaping, over-the-shoulder catch to rob Albright of a certain home run.
Jones even admitted that she didn’t expect to catch up to Albright’s bomb.
“I forgot that I had basketball skills, too,” said Jones about her acrobatic catch. “I knew that she hits ball over there all the time so I was determined to get there and I knew I couldn’t miss it.”
Albright’s bad luck extended to the pitcher’s mound, as she struggled with her control for the better part of the day. She settled down after giving up a first-inning RBI single to Music and got out of the frame, but the second inning saw her walk in three runs, and a fourth run was scored on a rather bizarre play at the plate.
With the Owls already leading 6-0 after three consecutive bases-loaded walks, Tiffany Zecena grounded out, extending the lead to 7-0, but leaving first base open for the first time in a while. When Albright walked the next batter, Ashley Torres-Littwin, Music began to trot home as if she had been walked in. The senior had forgotten that first base was open. No one from Stuyvesant realized Music’s missed beat either, and Music was able to steal home with a brisk trot. The weird play extended the lead to 8-0 and summed up the day for the Renegades
“I thought I had been walked in,” Music said. “But then I heard someone yell for the pitcher to throw home – then I ran.” Music had a good laugh before adding, “My coach is going to kill me for that.”
Longtime head coach Wally Hausdorf, who actually missed the game due to sickness as assistant Pelly Papoutsis took the helm, probably won’t have much to say about Music’s base-running. He knows that he has a team that is expected to compete for their division title, and his girls have similar expectations. They feel that their best ball is still ahead of them.
“We definitely want to go to the playoffs,” Music said. “So we just don’t want to beat ourselves. As you can see, our hitting is still a bit rusty.”
Kovac echoed the sentiments of her teammate.
“We want to play well and be division champs,” Kovac said. “Then we want to go deep in the playoffs.”