Softball: St. Bede’s Ella Hermes wins pitcher duel vs. BV, Madison Smith

St. Bede’s Ella Hermes and Bureau Valley’s Madison Smith locked into a pitcher’s duel at Abbot Davey Field at the Academy Monday.

The Bruins scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie and held on for a 3-2 Three Rivers East victory.

“We were able to get some quality AB’s to get runners on, then had a couple of timely hits and capitalized on some of their mistakes. Ella pitched well again, striking out 13,” St. Bede coach Shawn Sons said.

“When they got runners in scoring position, everyone kept their cool and we were able to get out of those innings. The girls have been playing very solid defense. They’re all students of the game, and it’s been paying off big lately both on offense and defense.”

Hermes went the distance with 13 strikeouts, allowing four hits and two earned runs to post the win.

The Bruins scored one run in the bottom of the first, but the dueling pitchers held serve for the next three innings.

The Storm tied the game in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 1.

St. Bede got that run back plus one in the home half.

Addie Bontz tripled, Hermes walked and stole second. Bontz scored on a passed ball and Hermes followed her home with the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice.

The Storm got a runner to second base in the top of the seventh when Lesleigh Maynard singled and stole second, but were unable to get her home.

Maynard and Smith (RBI) each had two hits. Carly Reglin had a RBI hit for the Storm.

Reagan Stoudt had two hits and a RBI and Pinter had a hit and RBI.

Smith, who struck out 10 in six innings, took the loss for BV, allowing five hits and two earned runs.

“I thought Madison pitched a great game Untimely errors cost us again,” BV coach Greg Sayler said. “We had our chances. We left too many runners stranded on base. I liked the way we battled all way to the last out. Just couldn’t get the tying run in.”