The Patriots may have a losing streak against the Leo Lions, but the Heritage softball team did not let that stop them from giving Leo a great game Thursday night. In fact, the Patriots led for much of the game before one big rally by the home team was enough to lift the purple and black to a 6-3 victory.
Leo touched Danica Fuller for a run in the first, but it was a three-run third inning for Heritage against Leo ace Leah Shappell that flipped the game.
In that big Heritage inning, Shappell hit Lynneah Whitacre and then walked Hadlee Shipp, putting the first to batters in the inning ahead of Fuller, who tied the game with a single. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Abriyah James knocked in two more, giving Heritage exactly what they wanted – the lead and the ball in Fuller’s hands.
Knowing they needed to play a sound defensive game to beat rival Leo, the Heritage chances were doomed with an infield error that would have been the second out in the fourth. Instead, the Lions scored four more times and it was more than Shappell needed to see out the victory.
Fuller tried to start a rally in the fifth with another hit – one of two on the night for the leadoff hitter – but Shappell shut the Patriots down, allowing just one more hit the rest of the game.
For Heritage, it was the third loss in the week against a third tough opponent, dropping their record to 8-3. What it will do is prepare the team for the upcoming ACAC slate, which begins next week with an absolute showdown at home against South Adams Tuesday.
That ACAC contest between championship contenders will be broadcast live on 92.7 FM, with first pitch scheduled at 5:30 p.m.
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