Big First Inning Propels Bison Past Lancaster, 7-2

BUFFALO GAP – Buffalo Gap is back in a familiar place at this time of year.

The Bison defeated Lancaster 7-2 on Tuesday in the Class 1 Softball State Quarterfinals, advancing to the state semis for the fifth consecutive season.

The game was decided in an action-packed first inning.

The Bison got out of a potential big jam in the top of the first inning with some stellar defensive work and then jumped on the visitors with six runs in the bottom half of the first.

With a runner on second and one in the first, Lancaster’s Elizabeth Keyser singled to right. Gap outfielder McKenzie Woods made a straight throw to the plate to retire Ayla Saunders who was trying to score from second. Gap catcher Elissa Caricofe threw out Keyser as she tried to advance to second on the play as the Bison got out of the inning without allowing a run.

Two Lancaster errors ignited the Bison offense in the bottom of the first. Bailey Tribble reached on a throwing error, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Tribble scored on Caricofe’s grounder to third and Caricofe was safe when the throw across the diamond was wide of the mark.

Then, the Gap hit parade started.

Makenzie Woodell singled to put two runners on and Woods followed with a triple off the fence in right, making the score 3-0. Karah Richie’s soft liner scored Woods for a 4-0 lead. With two outs, Charliegh Phillips singled and Rachel Showalter lined a run-scoring single to left to make it 5-0. Tribble singled in Phillips, staking Gap to a 6-0 lead. 

“They made a couple of errors and we jumped on them,” said Gap head coach Holly Desper. “Getting those runs and the lead early was huge.”

Armed with a comfortable lead, Showalter was dominant in the circle. In the second through sixth innings, the Gap pitched allowed just one hit and two baserunners while recording nine strikeouts. She ended the contest with 10 strikeouts.

Lancaster spoiled the shutout bid in the seventh when Kelsie Cox belted a two-run homer to left.

Tribble, Woodell and Showalter each finished with two base hits. Woods drove in a pair of runs.

Gap will play in the semifinals on Friday morning, and a familiar foe awaits. The Bison will play Eastside, the team that knocked Gap out of the state tournament a year ago, 2-0. Eastside advanced with a 11-1 victory over George Wythe.

The Bison will once again look to get over the hump and end its four-game losing streak in the state semis. The Bison have been shut out each time in its trips to the semifinals.

“We’ve had trouble hitting the ball, stringing hits together in the postseason. We’ve got to hit. I’ll just tell the girls to keep the fight, keep the energy, stay on top of things and stay positive,” Desper said.