By Quint Turner
During a rainstorm, the Meadowdale Maverick softball team struck last with a lightning bolt walk-off home run by Alyssa Reuble, sending the Everett Seagulls to the showers with an 8-7 win.
Mavs pitcher Kylee Studioso recorded 13 strikeouts, including an inning where she struck out the side in her winning effort. Despite six errors, and the offensive firepower from Everett’s Chloe Kesterson, Anna Hudson and Lauren Kesterson, the Mavs stayed in it thanks to Lily Paschal, Studioso and Reuble.
After Studioso struck out the side to start the game, the Mavs scored four runs in the first. Shannon Haukap got things started with a lead-off single, and then Paschal smacked a homerun to put the Mavs up 2-0. Back-to-back singles later, Tatum Hall put a base hit into right field to drive in two runs. The Seagulls got on the board in the second after two Maverick errors allowed Chloe Kesterson to score.
In the third, the Seagulls stormed ahead 5-4. The action started with a lead-off double by Lauren Kesterson who scored after an error, and with two on and one out, Hudson hit a longball over the center field fence to put Everett on top. In the Maverick half of the inning, Reuble scored on a triple by Studioso to tie the game back up.
Studioso would then strike out the side in the top of the fourth, but the Mavs were unable to score, and Everett took a 6-5 lead on a home run by Chloe Kesterson. The Mavs would respond in the bottom of the fifth with a run to retie the game.
In the sixth, both teams would go 1-2-3, forcing the game to the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Everett’s CJ Shaver hit a foul ball that would be caught by the Maverick left fielder Ashley Brooke, and Lexie Levin would score on the sacrifice fly. Studioso would strike out the next batter, bringing her count to 13. Paschal started the bottom of the sixth with a line drive that got by the right fielder. The next hitter would be Reuble, who on a 2-2 count pulled a ball to deep left-center field and over the fence to give the Mavs a walk-off 8-7 win.
The Mavs’ next game will be on Monday at 4 p.m. at Monroe High School.
Sports contributor Quint Turner is a student at Meadowdale High School.
