Aines pitches, hits Otters past Cosmos

Girls softball at Sringfield.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130503/SPORTS02/705039883

Published May 3, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Aines pitches, hits Otters past Cosmos By POODY WALSH Correspondent SPRINGFIELD — Otter Valley, in somewhat of a desperate situation having already lost twice this week, got a huge boost from junior Taylor Aines who pitched a two-hitter and smacked a two-run homer in a 5-0 win over Springfield Thursday at Bill Robinson Field. Aines did not walk a batter and retired the first 14 in a row. She threw 95 pitches, 63 for strikes. The count went to ball three on just three batters. It was the second time this season that she had a walk-less game. The first came in a 10-0 win over Rutland on April 29. There have been times this season that Otter Valley has not been scoring runs and this week had been one of those times as they had just one run in two games. On Thursday, the Otters scored five times in the first two innings, which was more than enough. Aines struck out 11 and offset her fastball with a change that was very effective. “I’ve been working on that,”she said. “I need another pitch.” Aines twice struck out Springfield slugger Kaylee Haskell with the change. “And I didn’t tell her to throw the change to her,” coach Patty Candonsaid. “She did that on her own.” Aines’ effort took some of the glitter away from a steady pitching performance from Springfield’s Sara Locke, who pitched a one-hitter after struggling through the first two innings. “They hit the ball early and their pitcher had her change working,” said Springfield coach Andy Bladyka, who thinks the A Division of the Marble Valley League (Springfield, Otter Valley, Rutland, Mt. Anthony, Brattleboro, Hartford and Fair Haven) is well balanced. “All those teams have some good pitching.” Aines’ performance didn’t surprise Candon, saying “She is always around the plate and today she was on fire.” What did surprise her a bit was the lusty hitting early in the game. “We haven’t been hitting at times and you have to string some hits together to get some runs. We did that today.” The Aines home run came in the first inning. Brittany Bushey, who had singled, was on first when Aines drilled a ball into the left field corner and circled the bases. In the second inning, a walk to the No. 9 batter and another single by Bushey was followed by a dropped fly ball for one run. Two more came in on cleanup hitter Laura Roberts’ single to right. And that was the offense for the day. Springfield did not have a base runner until Locke singled with two out in the fifth. The other Springfield hit was a single by Meghan Courchesne in the seventh. The first four batters for Otter Valley were 7-for-16. Aines said her performance not only made her feel good, “but the win made the whole team feel good. We needed this.” Springfield, 4-2, is at Mount Anthony Monday while Otter Valley, 4-3, is at Mill River Tuesday.