Oxford, AL – Oxford’s Smash It Sports Vipers run-rule Oklahoma City Spark, will take something new on long road swing … a winning streak.
By Joe Medley
Oxford’s Smash It Sports Vipers are set to embark on three consecutive road series, and they can pack a winning streak for the trip.
Amber Fiser pitched her second shutout of the season and bagged her third win, and the Vipers run-ruled the Oklahoma City Spark 8-0 in five innings Wednesday at Choccolocco Park.
Coming on the heels of a dramatic comeback from a 8-0 deficit to beat Spark 11-9 in eight innings on Tuesday, Wednesday’s victory gave the Vipers (4-12) their first two-game winning streak and first series victory of their first season in Oxford.
“It feels amazing,” Fiser said. “It’s something we’ve been working hard for for a long time, and it’s finally come through, and it’s a great team win. It’s not like any single person or any single part of the game stood out. Everyone came on out to show up, and it was a fun game.”
Wednesday’s game featured the Vipers’ five-run third inning, which tied their most productive at bat of the season. They put up five runs in the fifth inning of a 6-0 victory over the Texas Smoke on June 24.
Since the start of the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game, the Vipers have outscored their opposition 19-5 over eight innings.
The Vipers came one out away from sweeping the series. They led Monday’s game with Oklahoma City 4-3 with two outs in the top of the seventh, only to see the Spark score four runs.
The Oklahoma City series was the first after a seven-day midseason break. From where did this Vipers’ breakout come?
“Winning is contagious, and hitting is contagious,” Vipers coach Gerry Glasco said. “Losing is contagious, and not hitting is contagious.
“The beauty is, they haven’t quit. It takes some really talented and resilient, tough-minded athletes to be resilient enough to fight through, and now we’re starting to see them play as a team.”
The Vipers’s victory Wednesday started with Fiser. The former University of Minnesota All-Ameican pitched a one-hit shutout with one strikeout and one walk.
The Spark’s production all came in the second inning, when Fiser hit Fa Leilua to lead off. After Fiser struck out Lynnsie Elam, Chloe Malauulu singled.
Fiser induced Michelle Moultrie’s fielder’s choice, and third baseman Makena Smith fielded the grounder and beat Leilua to the bag for the force out. Fiser walked Sami Williams to load the bases but got Yvonne Whaley to hit into another fielder’s choice and a force play at second base for the third out.
Fiser “is just a veteran, and she’s a really talented pitcher,” Glasco said. “Obviously, the team believes in her, so when she pitches, we play really well behind her.
“She just wants the ball.”
Fiser worked with a lead from the first inning on. Karly Heath drew a lead-off walk, stole second base and took third on a passed ball. Suzy Brookshire brought her home with with a sac fly to center field to make it 1-0.
The big inning came in the third, after Oklahoma City turned Alissa Dalton’s low liner into a triple play to end the second. Mikayla Allee reached on an error. After Jenna Kean struck out, Heath hit an infield single just under pitcher Keely Rochard’s glove.
Brookshire chased Rochard out of the game with a two-run double down the third-base line, and Smith added a two-run double off of reliever Chenise Delce to make it 5-0. Smith scored on a wild pitch.
The Vipers ended the game with a two-run fifth. Smith lead off with a triple to chase Delce for reliever Alex Storako. Tatyana beat out a fielder’s choice to Storako, and Smith scored on Raina O’Neal’s pop fly.
Chelsea Gonzales hit a two-out, pinch-hit single to plate the game-ending run.
Brookshire finished with three RBIs, and Smith went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs to help power the Vipers to their second consecutive win.
“We’ve always had this in us,” Smith said. “It’s just coming together. It’s confidence, and I think we saw what we can do. We saw what we have in the tank.”
