Lancaster softball's improbable rally extends winning streak to 14 games

POWELL — In the midst of a 13-game winning streak, the Lancaster softball team has won in every different way imaginable. The Lady Gales have blown teams out, won close games, and rallied in late innings. On Friday, May 15, against Olentangy Liberty under the lights, Lancaster looked to be dead in the water, trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, then the unimaginable happened.

Sophomore Mackenzie Hedrick led off the seventh inning, and what happened next, well, it was almost fate. Hedrick hit a routine pop-up right behind first base. The first baseman and second baseman both went for the ball, and at the last second, they both backed away, thinking the other had it.

The ball dropped, giving Hedrick new life. On the next pitch she saw, Hedrick hit the ball over the left-field fence, but it was foul, then on the very next pitch, she didn’t miss. She hit a game-tying home run, and it sparked a four-run rally in the seventh inning, giving the Gales an improbable 5-2 nonconference victory, and more importantly, their 14 th consecutive victory.

The Gales, which were 5-6 at one point, improved to 19-7. More: Brown has etched her name on the Mount Rushmore of Lancaster softball After Hedrick’s home run, Hannah Smith singled and Alleigh Chevalier doubled. Freshman Julia Carsman hit a sacrifice fly to score a run, then Lana Prince laid down a perfect bunt to score another run.