Lenape Pushes Past Cherokee in Extra Innings

When the Lady Chiefs from Cherokee took the field against Lenape in an Olympic Conference American Division softball game, it was a strange site to see their previous coach standing on the opposite side of the field. Mike Medrick, who had coached Cherokee to a 28-0 record and a couple of titles two years ago, was now the head coach for Lenape. But in this game, the players are the ones on the field working hard at coming away with the victory. Lenape would tie this game in the eighth inning to extend the game even further and then win it in the bottom the tenth when Jamie Moir’s single drove in her sister Kelsey for the winning run and a 4-3 victory.

The history between these two teams is quite interesting. Last year during the regular season, Cherokee and Lenape played each other three times and two of those games finished with the Chiefs winning by one run. Strangely enough, the two met during the South Jersey Group 4 championship game yet with another 1-0 decision for Cherokee. That’s just a classic example of two well coached softball programs understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses. These two teams have had their way against other teams, but when schedule lists these two teams facing each other, it is a must see.

On the mound for Cherokee was Elia Persico who gave up a solo homerun to Kate Valiante in the first inning. Cherokee would tie the game during the top half of the third inning only to see Valiante come through again with a run batted in single to give the Indians back the lead. The Chiefs came right back in the next inning when Sam Woods’ single knotted this game at two apiece. That’s the way this game stayed through seven innings and it looked as if the Chiefs would finally get that winning run off of starting pitcher Jamie Moir.

Cherokee would celebrate getting the go ahead run during the top of the eighth inning only to see Lenape’s Ashley Griffith score on a Valiante fielder’s choice. Neither team scored in the ninth inning but the Indians’ Kelsey Moir scored from second base during the tenth inning. Jamie Moir not only drove in the game winning run but she also picked up the win as the pitcher of record. These two teams are scheduled to met again during the second week of May at Cherokee.