Wyoma off to the races in City Series

LYNN – The Wyoma Cardinals scored five runs in the fourth inning en route to an 8-3 win over the Lynn Phillies in the first game of a best-of-three Little League softball City Series.This year?s format is a little different from previous years, with all five of the city?s softball teams (three from Wyoma and two combine teams from East Lynn, Pine Hill and West Lynn) playing in the tournament. The Cardinals and Phillies survived the early rounds to earn the spot in the championship series.Cardinals pitcher Carly Mendoca hit a few bumps in the road in the first inning, giving up a walk and a double (after striking out the first two batters) that led to two Phillies runs, but she settled down nicely. The Phillies could only muster one more run and that came in the fourth after Wyoma had taken a 6-2 lead. Mendoca finished with 11 strikeouts while giving up only three hits. She walked eight and hit a batter.?It was a well-played game by both teams,” Phillies manager Maureen Mannion-Collins said. “Their pitcher did a great job.”Wyoma got on the board first after Renee Walker led off the game with a double and scored on a slow roller down the first base line. Lynn came right back in the second. With two outs, Lauren Wilkinson walked and scored on a passed ball to tie the game. Phillies catcher Madison Dana launched a double to center field and one batter later, scored on an errant throw to third on an attempted steal.The bats were quiet on both sides until the top of the fourth inning when the Cardinals started to heat up. Mendoca led off with a walk and Emily Barney followed with a shot up the middle that went off the pitcher. Abby Fila walked to load the bases and Kylie Poisson followed with another walk to drive in Mendoca.Sophia Lebert hit a dribbler down the first base line that stayed fair, scoring Barney, and Fila came home on a ground ball to first by Riley Mannion. Sailor Brinkler?s infield single brought in the fifth run and gave Wyoma a 6-2 lead.The Phillies got one back in the bottom of the fourth when Brooke Warren walked to lead off the inning and scored on Sam St. Ives? line drive off the pitcher. The Cardinals scraped up two more runs in the fifth on a two-run double by Mendoca that scored Renee Walker and Amanda Wilkins, who had both reached on singles.Cardinals manager Chad Wilkins was impressed with the quality of play throughout the City Series given the long layoff following all-stars. He also praised Mendoca?s performance.?She battled the whole game. She definitely came to play,” he said. “They would get runners on base, and she would come through. The whole team played well.”Lynn pitcher Pam Dimis was very effective through the first three innings, allowing the Cardinals only one run. Dimis also made a couple of nice defensive plays in the circle and kept her composure despite a tough fourth inning.?She?s so consistent,” Mannion-Collins said. “She keeps her cool. She?s done a great job all year.”The two teams will go at it again tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Wyoma?s Lynn Woods Field. If the Cardinals win, they take the City Series title. If the Phillies win, it goes to an if-necessary game, which will follow the first game.