Lady Braves Get Revenge on Ramsey

Indian Hills got some payback Monday on the Rams as they scored five runs in the seventh to earn a 7-3 win in Ramsey. 

The game seesawed back and forth throughout, as the Braves twice went up by a run only to have Ramsey strike back to tie the game. Tied up at two heading to the final inning, Indian Hills benefitted from a costly error that opened the floodgates and allowed the Braves to tack on five runs in the inning.

It was a big division game for both teams, as both teams came in with just one loss in the league and just a few regular season games remaining.

 “This was a big game,” said Coach Joe Leicht.  “I think you could kind of tell that because both teams were trying so hard, I think we were both making uncharacteristic mistakes.”

After the Braves went up 1-0 on a Carey Houston RBI, the Braves defense made some of those mistakes in the bottom half of the inning.  After some miscues and errors, Ramsey was able to push one across and tie the game at one.

The Braves were able to work out of the inning after a couple putouts by Christie Testa.  Testa would replace fellow senior Kelly Strittmatter at second after Strittmatter was plunked in the head an inning earlier.  Testa made the move from third to second and another senior, Jenna Koch, came in to play third.

“We have the great, Kelly Strittmatter at second base who’s just fabulous.  She gets hurt, and now this is why you practice,” said Leicht.  “That’s a testament to the seniors and a testament to the kids for the way they practice.”

Indian Hills took back the lead in the fifth when Ashley DeYoung walked, Nicole Paiotti singled, and Kara Pepper knocked in DeYoung’s courtesy runner with an RBI double.

The Rams struck right back, stringing together three singles in the inning to knot up the score once again.

After both teams went 1-2-3 in the sixth, the turning point came in the seventh on a hard hit ground ball by freshman Nicole Leocata.  After the first two batters went down quietly, the Braves got a two-out rally going starting with a Paiotti infield hit that the shortstop nearly snagged.  Pepper came up next and roped one down the line then advanced to second (Paiotti to third) on a misplay by the right fielder.  

Leocata came to the plate next and hit a grounder to first that the first baseman got some leather on but couldn’t pull it in.  The ball ricocheted off the glove and into no man’s land in right, allowing Paiotti and Pepper to speed home.  Another error led to the sixth run for IH, followed by an RBI single for Jackie Connolly to extend the lead to 7-2.

The Rams weren’t able to make the plays when it counted, while the Braves made some great plays in the bottom of the seventh to put Ramsey away.  Back in the game after being cleared by the trainer, Strittmatter made an unbelievable diving catch for the second out and Morgan Levine made a terrific backhand stab at first for the third and final out of the game.

Indian Hills has a full slate of games this week before heading to Emerson High School on Saturday to face Pascack Valley in the second round of the Bergen County Tournament.

Indian Hills has beaten the Indians twice this year, but Coach Leicht says the games have been closer than the 5-0 and 7-2 scores indicate.  The Braves bats came alive late in both these games, and they put PV away with four runs in the fifth inning of each game.    

The Braves have Demarest at home on Tuesday, Ridgefield Park on Wednesday on the road, and Bergenfield at home on Friday before taking on PV on Saturday.