By Kristi McDevitt
Sports Correspondent
No one said holding on to first place was going to be easy.
The varsity softball team has defeated two top teams in the Flint Metro League to get where they are, and they are not about to concede their standings to any opponent in the league.
With only two games left in league action, both Linden and Fenton are both looking to do one thing: Defeat Oxford and knock them out of first place. Linden had their chance to do just that last Monday when they hosted the Ladycats, but Oxford likes the view from the top and wouldn’t budge.
In the first game of the night, Oxford took the lead with a run in the top of the first inning, but quickly found themselves down two runs after allowing three Eagle runs in the bottom of the third inning. The Ladycats rebounded scoring a run in the top of the 4tth and again in the top of the 5th to tie the score at 3-3. It wasn’t until the top of the ninth when Oxford scored the winning run on senior Amber Cervantez’s RBI single. Cervantez also pitched all nine innings in the game allowing only three hits and striking out three.
Senior Jessica Anhel was 2-for-5 with two RBI’s, and juniors Miranda Christen and Lindsay Nieman each had a hit in the win. Head coach Sue Roeher attributed the comeback to her squad’s solid defensive play, especially when they struggle to get their offense going.
In the second game of the nightcap, Oxford came out swinging with their relentless defense still hanging strong. Oxford handily defeated the Eagles 15-0, scoring eight of the runs in the seventh inning alone. Cervantez was on the mound again for the Ladycats, pitching each of the sixteen innings on the night.
‘Amber continues to be a huge asset on the mound,? Roeher stated. She retired three Eagle batters and allowed three hits. Oxford had a huge contribution from the line-up.
Sophomore AnnMarie Skylis went 2-for-4 with 3 runs scored, Anhel was 4-for-5 with three RBI’s and three runs scored, junior Mary Bono went 3-for-5 with two RBI’s and two runs scored, senior Amanda Crump was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and junior Cayla Stanard went 2-for-2 with two RBI’s and one run scored. Oxford’s record improves to 9-1 in the Flint Metro League, and 15-12 overall.
Only one team stands in the Ladycats way for sole custody over the FML title, the Fenton Tigers. Oxford drew a bye in the first round of the MHSAA Districts hosted by Romeo High, and will play Rochester Stoney Creek on Friday, June 3rd at 12:30pm.