Chaffee gets revenge vs. Delta

Chaffee entered Wednesday's showdown with Delta, one of the area's top spring softball teams, with something to prove.

Despite a 6-0 record entering the game, Chaffee still had memories of an error-plagued 10-0 loss to the Bobcats a year ago. Those bad memories were erased Wednesday with a late rally leading to a 5-4 win at Chaffee.

"We're very happy," Chaffee coach Debbie Lewis said. "This is a big win for us. We played Delta last year and lost pretty bad. ... This was definitely a game we wanted to win."

Chaffee (7-0) took advantage of Delta's shaky defense to rally from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2. Mallory Kiefer provided a pair of key hits for the Red Devils, including a leadoff triple in the sixth inning.

Kiefer scored on a throwing error, and Kegan Orr later scored in the inning on a close play at the plate to give Chaffee a 4-3 lead. Delta (3-2) bounced back to tie the score at 4-4 in the seventh, before Kiefer drove the winning run across in the bottom half of the inning.

Lewis said her team's ability to bounce back in the bottom of the seventh was a big step from last season.

"That showed the biggest difference in my kids from this season and last season," she said. "When we got scored on last year we didn't know how to handle it."

While the Red Devils were able to get several clutch hits, most of their runs came from Delta miscues. Delta starter Sarah Cook allowed five hits and struck out seven, but six errors led to three of Chaffee's runs.

"Errors killed us," Delta coach Scott Crabtree said. "We just can't seem to stay focused."

Chaffee starter Courtney Walter allowed 10 hits, but with an error-free day from her fielders, Walter was able to pitch out of some jams. Walter struck out five and walked just one.

"It was definitely a well-pitched ballgame from both ends," Lewis said.

Brandie Snider and Sarah Dooley each had two hits for Chaffee. Delta had three hits apiece from Tiffany Johnson and Kayla Seabaugh, and Kaci Menz added two.

The rivalry between Chaffee and Delta will take a new twist next season. Chaffee will be making the transition from spring softball to fall softball starting next season.

"I definitely think this is the type of competition we're going to face in the fall," Lewis said.

Chaffee 5, Delta 4

Delta 200 010 1 -- 4 10 6

Chaffee 020 002 1 -- 5 5 0

WP -- Courtney Walter, 4-0. LP -- Sarah Cook. 3B -- Kaci Menz (D), Mallory Kiefer (C). 2B -- Kayla Seabaugh (D), Tiffany Johnson (D). Multiple hits -- Delta, Johnson 3-4; Seabaugh 3-4; Menz 2-3; Chaffee, Kiefer 2-4; Brandie Snider 2-3; Sarah Dooley 2-3. Records -- Delta 3-2, Chaffee 7-0.