BMS Softball Team Wins Thriller Against Elkins
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on May 05, 2025
SUBMITTED BY BMS SOFTBALL COACH BILLY ESTOK
On Friday evening, the BMS Lady Braves welcomed the Elkins Lady Hornets to the Bridgeport Softball Field and the Braves came away with a thrilling 12-11 victory.
This was to have been the second meeting of the season between the two teams, but the first game was canceled due to inclement weather in late March.
Samara Smith was the starting pitcher for the Lady Braves. She retired the Lady Hornets in order in the top first and held them scoreless for the first three innings.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Mara Beverage walked and stole second. Molly Frenzel singled and Beverage moved to third. Olivia Fittro walked to load the bases. Nora Martin was hit by a pitch that plated Beverage. Olivia Chapman singled to bring home Frenzel and give BMS an early 2-0 lead.
In the home half of the third, Martin was hit by a pitch with one out. Amelia Green entered the game as courtesy runner for Martin. Green stole second, came to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch. The Lady Braves now owned a 3-0 lead.
The top of the fourth started with a walk to Elkins’ starting pitcher Meria Tarley and a single by Harper Hornick. Hannah Helmick reached on a BMS infield error that allowed Tarley to score. Iia Tarley hit into a force out at third. Zeya Price brought home Helmick and Tarley on three BMS throwing errors and she ended up on second. Laila Cade walked, and Lydia Miller singled to score Price and took second on the throw to home while Cade advanced to third.
With two out, Audrey Millett singled to bring Cade home. Meria Tarley reached on a BMS fielding error that saw Miller cross the plate. Two wild pitches later Millett scored and Tarley was on third. A single by Hornick brought home Tarley to complete the scoring and give Elkins an 8-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Fittro walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Martin walked and Green entered again as her courtesy runner. Chapman walked to load the bases. With one out, Sophia Humble singled to bring home two runs and move Chapman to third. A wild pitch plated Chapman and Humble took second.
With two out, Payton Fisher singled to centerfield with Humble scoring. Fisher then stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Beverage followed with a walk. At this point, the game was stopped due to rain and lightning.
The game resumed after a 40-minute delay. Frenzel wasted little time by delivering a two-run scoring triple. She then scored on a wild pitch. After five innings of play, BMS was ahead by the score of 10-7.
The Lady Hornets responded by scoring three times in the top of the sixth. Miller started the frame by reaching first on a BMS throwing error. Two outs later, Meria Tarley walked. Both runners advanced a base via a wild pitch. Hornick singled to bring home two runs. Helmick walked and both runners moved up a notch on a wild pitch. An unsuccessful pick off throw at third to get Hornick allowed her score. The scoreboard now read Elkins 11 and BMS 10.
The Lady Braves did not score in their half of the sixth inning.
In the top of the seventh, BMS brought Fisher in to pitch. She held the Lady Hornets scoreless.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Fisher tripled to leftfield. She attempted to score on a wild pitch but was tagged out at home plate. Beverage walked and stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Frenzel walked. A wild pitch let Beverage score and Frenzel took second. Fittro was hit by a pitch. Frenzel then stole third and scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
Editor's Note: Top photo of Olivia Chapman and bottom photo of Molly Frenzel courtesy of Ashley Smith and Erica Beverage.
