Callaway walks it off for BVA

By Dean Dellamalva Jr.

MVI Sports

Belle Vernon’s Tara Callaway scored the game-tying run and drove in the gamewinner to lead the Leopards to a 10-9 walkoff win over visiting Greensburg Salem in non-section softball action Friday.

The Leopards (1-0) trailed 9-8 in the bottom of the sixth when Callaway crushed a 2-2 pitch that hit the left field wall on the fly. She moved to third on a wild pitch then scored on a sacrifice fly by Gracie Sokol.

Then, in the bottom of the seventh, BVA loaded the bases with just one out and Callaway came through again with a single to left, scoring Vanessa Porter from third. It was a stark contrast for Callaway who struggled in her prior plate appearances.

“(Callaway) struck out earlier in the game during one of our big innings,” Leopards coach Tom Rodriguez said. “But she came up big when we needed her.”

The Belle Vernon bats were not clicking early on in the game but got going beginning in the third inning. The Leps ended up with 16 hits in the game with all their regular position players getting at least one.

“We’ve been struggling, even in the two scrimmage games, with hitting and scoring runs,” Rodriguez said. “But today was a good start for the kids.”

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