Gasp! Geyer lifts Cosmos to finale

The situation was about as tense as it could get. The score of the Vermont Division II semifinal softball game was 1-1 and it the last of the ninth inning. At the plate was Springfield’s Lina Geyer, just a sophomore, facing Randolph senior hurler Rachel Johnson who had already struck out 16. The bases were loaded and the count was 2-2 to Geyer.
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Published June 12, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Gasp! Geyer lifts Cosmos to finale By POODY WALSH Correspondent SPRINGFIELD — The situation was about as tense as it could get. The score of the Vermont Division II semifinal softball game was 1-1 and it the last of the ninth inning. At the plate was Springfield’s Lina Geyer, just a sophomore, facing Randolph senior hurler Rachel Johnson who had already struck out 16. The bases were loaded and the count was 2-2 to Geyer. “I just told myself to stay calm, to breathe,” she said. A moment later it was all over as Geyer slammed a drive over the shortstop’s head and Springfield was on its way to the championship game. “I can’t believe it,” said Geyer who added, “Oh yeah,” when asked if that was the biggest hit of her life. Geyer was just one of the heroes on this day for Springfield who got a clutch two-out, two-strike single in the seventh from Chelsea McAllister to tie the game and a three-hit pitching performance from Jade Twombly. And then there was the throw. In the Randolph fifth the Galloping Ghosts had the bases loaded with no outs in a game that was scoreless - dominated by the pitchers. However, a walk and Springfield’s only two errors jammed the sacks. Junior Abi Caswell singled to right-center to score one run and the second in the person Janea Hudson headed for the plate, but when she got there Springfield catcher Maygan Daly had the ball as Springfield centerfielder Calista Polidor fired a one-hopper to Daly who made the tag. Still, Randolph had runners on second and third with one out, but Twombly got a strikeout and an infield pop and the Galloping Ghosts never scored again. Next for the third-seeded Cosmos, 14-5, is a Saturday at 5 p.m. championship game against undefeated, 17-0, BFA-Fairfax in a contest to be played in Poultney. “When the season began Mike (assistant coach Mike Langdon) and I hoped we would have a .500 season,” said Springfield coach Andy Bladyka. “Now look where we are. Shows you how much we know.” It will be the second trip to the title game for the Cosmos, who took the crown in 2011. The game was frustrating in a lot of ways for both teams as scoring chances were squandered as Springfield stranded 10 and the Ghosts six. “We just couldn’t seem to get the bit hit when we needed,” said Randolph coach Brandi Cormette. “This was very evenly matched game.” Springfield had hurt itself by not getting the bunt down several times through the first eight innings. But in the ninth the bunt was a huge factor. Daly led off the ninth by walking on a 3-2 pitch. The next two batters, Polidor and Brooke Willey, dropped down bunts that spun around in front of the plate. On Polidor’s bunt the Randolph catcher tried to get Daly at second, but the throw was late. On Willey’s bunt there was some confusion and when the throw eventually went to first it was also late. Geyer then did her breathing and drove home the game winner. Springfield was a bit fortunate to tie the game as there were two down in the seventh and nobody on when Willey got things starred by drawing a walk. Geyer then got her first crucial hit of the game by singling down the line to left. This brought up McAllister who Bladyka said was hitting .643 in the last nine games. She got herself into a 0-2 hole and the Cosmos were down to their last strike. Then McAllister, who is going to Springfield College to play basketball, showed she can play some softball, fouled two off and singled to left to tie the game. “I guess we had the right people up at the right time,” said Bladyka. Johnson threw 164 pitches, fanning 16, walking five, hitting two and she gave up five hits. Randolph, the seventh seed, finished at 12-8. Twombly pitched a three-hitter, fanning nine and walking two in a 117-pitch effort.