Down 3-1 going into the late innings, the Milan Lady Wildcats scored a run to get close, then two runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-3 victory over the visiting Polo Lady Panthers, in a Grand River Conference East matchup on Thursday night at Legion Field.
Senior left-hander Kenna Michael was able to keep the Lady ‘Cats within striking distance after Polo took a 3-1 lead, as Michael earned the victory with 7 innings of three-hit softball. Â She had only one walk with 5 strikeouts. Â Only one of the three runs allowed was earned.
Courtney McCollum continued to swing a hot stick for Milan, with three base hits in three at-bats, including a double. Â Samantha DeRyke and Maddie Schoonover contributed key base hits in the Milan rally, helping the Lady ‘Cats avoid an 0-2 GRC East start. Â McCollum tied the contest at 3 with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, scoring courtesy runner Katie Banner, with McCollum coming in on an RBI looper off the bat of catcher Breanna Sawyer.
Milan Head Coach Nathan Dodson, in a late-night interview with KTTN’s Tom Johnson, expressed his satisfaction at Milan’s vastly improved play over 48 hours earlier in Unionville:
Both Milan and Polo come out of the contest with matching 1-1 GRC records, after Polo won on Tuesday night at Gallatin 5-3, while Milan struggled in its opener at Putnam County, falling by a final score of 11-1.
