The sun was out, making heat waves rise off the turf field, and West was the home team in the left field bullpen. The girls were dressed in their all white uniforms, and they started in the field. Senior Brevyn Kellepouris was pitching to junior Aly Sherry as her family watched just behind the fence gating the field. The first inning in the field went by in a flash, with Brevyn Kellepouris striking out three batters right away. Kellepouris’s domination over each of Eisenhower’s batters was the perfect start to the season.
Again, in the second inning, Brevyn Kellepouris struck out the first batter, and everyone was ready to see another 3-strikeout inning; however, Eisenhower’s next batter in the box hit hard to third. Third baseman Adams fielded the ball quickly and got Eisenhower out at first base. Then, first baseman Heinemann caught a foul ball, and West ran in the dugout to prepare to hit, not knowing how crucial this at-bat would be.
Sherry hit the ball to shortstop, where Eisenhower fumbled the ball, allowing Sherry to get to first base with time to spare. Sophomore Celise Kellepouris walked. First and second base had runners.
There were two outs, and Brevyn Kellepouris was up. She hit the ball, and Eisenhower immediately overthrew it to third base. Eisenhower was feeling the pressure as all three West players rounded the bases all the way until Brevyn Kellepouris was the only one left running. She rounded third, and the bleachers filled with Eisenhower parents began to roar with demands. Nothing could help Eisenhower protect home plate because Brevyn was set on scoring. She got an in-the-park homerun and assisted two other runs.
For Brevyn Kellepouris’s first game as a senior, she was making her leadership role known. After switching sides, Eisenhower bunted to pitcher Brevyn Kellepouris, and she threw to first for a flawless out. The next two batters up were struck out by Brevyn Kellepouris, and just like that, West was back to hitting.
West had a rough at-bat, and quickly Brevyn Kellepouris found herself back at the pitching mound. She walked the first Eisenhower batter up to the plate; however, she made up for it when she struck out the second batter. Eisenhower then got a single after the ball was hit to center fielder Celise Kellepouris.
The next batter hit to shortstop and got out at first base. Brevyn Kellepouris got the third out for West when she caught a hop ball and threw to first.
After another batting rotation, Brevyn Kellepouris pitched a quick top-of-the-inning for West again. Eisenhower hit a fly ball to Brevyn Kellepouris, and the next batter struck out after a full count. The third out was made when Brevyn Kellepouris fielded a ground ball and threw to first base.
It was the seventh inning and Eisenhower’s last chance to win. Brevyn Kellepouris would be carrying her team to victory if she could just keep her pitching strong. Eisenhower’s first batter got hit by a pitch, and they walked. The crowd grew silent; it felt like hours before the next batter for Eisenhower approached the plate. Eisenhower hit to third baseman Adams, and the runner on first base got out by senior Haley Dougherty at second base. Everyone took a sigh of relief. Shortstop got the next ground ball and threw to third base for the second out. Eisenhower’s last chance was battling Brevyn until the batter struck out, and that was game: 5-0 West.
West celebrated in the field and dropped their gloves on the third base baseline to huddle in left field. Brevyn Kellepouris greeted her family after the huddle broke. She held her head high in the first of her many victories this season.
