STEUBBENVILLE — With its offensive capabilities, the Big Red softball team is never out of a game.

Big Red trailed Indian Valley by four runs on two occasions, however Big Red did not quit as the Red and Black plated eight straight runs to rally for a 10-8 victory on a hot Friday afternoon up at the Crimson Complex.

“It is as big as you can get against a good team and a good program,” Big Red (13-3) head coach Gus DiMarzio said. “Dusty (Braun) is a good coach. He is good friend of mine. Playing Indian Valley makes us better. Every time we play them, it’s a fight. We got behind today, but the girls did a good job.”

The girls from Jefferson County plated four runs in the home half of the sixth inning to rally for a 10-7 lead. The first two batters for the Braves in the seventh reached base, but the visitors were only able to push one across allowing the home team to hold on for the victory.

“I don’t know,” DiMarzio said asked what changed for his team. “You go in the circle and tell them everyone has a job and for them to do their job. It doesn’t matter what your job is. If your job is to cheer, you cheer. If your job is to throw strikes or field the ball, you have to do it.

“We battled to get on base. We bunted. We caused chaos. We stole bases. Our hitters hit the ball. We put the ball in play.

“Emily Tuttle is overlooked. She comes up and battles. She finds a away to get on base, and she finds a way to get around the bases and score runs. She battles.

“The bottom of our order – Riley (Zorne), her and Gena (Smith) our are unsung kids. They don’t get the press, but they deserve it. They turn are order over. That’s important.”

Trailing by four runs, the hosts responded with a pair of runs in the fourth to make the score 7-5.

With one out, Gena Smith bunted for a base hit, however, the throw from the third baseman was offline and rolled into the outfield allowing Smith to motor around the base and score.

“I have no idea how the ball got into the right field corner,” DiMarzio said. “It was like it was catapulted. It was like one of our fans kicked it. It catapulted. If you talked to Dusty, he would tell you that is a play in the game you have got to make. They are young. They are going to make that play down the road. They will learn from it. We are fortunate it worked out in our favor.

Big Red plated another run in the fifth to pull within one run at 7-6 before retaking the lead in the sixth with their four-run outburst.

“Our hitters battled,” DiMarzio said. “Early on, you want to start fast in softball. Your philosophy is all gas and no breaks. You want to start fast, but you put pressure on yourself to do so. I think games are won in the middle innings. If you win the middle innings, you put yourself in a good position at the end.

“We battled. We were down, and I overhead the girls talking, saying, ‘She’s throwing up. She’s not around the plate. Be patient. Make her come to you.’ When you have girls doing that and helping each other out, that is a sign of a good team. The girls stuck together.”

The victors did get off to a fast start as Big Red plated a pair of runs in the first to take an early 2-0 lead, however, the lead did not last long as the girls from Tuscarawas County scored four runs in the second to take a 4-2 lead. Indian Valley tallied two more runs in the third to increase their advantage to 6-2.

Big Red answered right back with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut their deficit down to 6-3, however, the Braves recorded a run in the fourth to regain a four-run advantage setting the stage for Big Red’s comeback.

“It shows our toughness,” DiMarzio said about his team being able to once again rally for a win. “The girls have the confidence and the ability, they just have to do it. We have to battle.

“When you are down 7-3, it is easy to go through the emotions and just want the game to be over with. We did that against Wheeling Park. I don’t remember if I talked to you or Andrew after that game, but we had a chance to win that game. We had the bases loaded. You have to keep playing. We did not battle. We did not play well that day.

“Today, and against Poland and down in West Virginia, we battled. We showed our toughness. We are not at the normal Big Red level, but we are close.

Isabella Cadile went the distance to pick up the win for Big Red. The freshman struck out seven and walked one.

“She is having a little bit of a struggle as of late,” DiMarzio said. “She is going through some growing pains. Today, it was kind of a sink or swim for her. She battled, and she did not sink. She fought. As a coach, that makes you happy.”

Shelby Gossett took the loss for the Braves (6-6). She struck out two and walked four.

Big Red outhit Indian Valley, 11-10. Big Red recorded six extra-base hits on their way to the win, while Indian Valley delivered two – one of which was a home run.

Individually, Paige Matteson produced a pair of doubles and five RBI to lead the way offensively for Big Red. Also, Sena Smith and Tuttle each tallied a single, a double and an RBI, Sagan Smarrella smacked a double and Sophia Zorne ended up with a double. Finally, Addy Meyer added three singles.

Individually for Indian Valley, Cammer Gossett contributed a single and a solo home run, Ashlynn Bolon added two singles and two RBI and Bella Weaver recorded a single and two RBI. Also, Heavenlee Pall tallied a single and a double, Alexa Schuler singled and had an RBI and Natalie Musser chipped in with a single.

Big Red committed five errors on the day. Big Red also had a runner on second, who was thrown out at third trying to move up on a ball hit to Indian Valley’s shortstop.

“When they are running and they tell you they are wrong, go back,” DiMarzio said. “She said, ‘I was wrong.’ Those are things that are going to hurt us later on the year. We have to correct those things. The good news is we still have time to correct them. That will be part of practice on Monday.”

The Braves made three errors in their loss.

Weather permitting, Big Red is scheduled to play two games as part of a tri today at home. Big Red is slated to play Ravenna Southeast at 11 a.m., Southeast is set to play John Marshall at 1 p.m. and Big Red will take on the Monarchs at 3 p.m. Big Red defeated John Marshall, 18-9, Tuesday on the road.

“Ravenna Southeast is a good team with good players,” DiMarzio said. “JM is JM.”

After its loss to Big Red, Indian Valley was scheduled to play Newcomerstown at 5 p.m. Friday at home. Indian Valley is scheduled to play Dover at 5 p.m. Wednesday on the road.

Big Red 10, Indian Valley 8

Indian Valley 042 100 1 – 8 10 3

Big Red 201 214 X – 10 11 5

INDIAN VALLEY Gossett LP (2K, 4BB) and Weaver. Musser S; Weaver S, 2RBI; S. Gossett S, RBI; C. Gossett S, HR, RBI; H. Pall S, D; Bolon 2S 2RBI; Schuler S, RBI.

BIG RED (13-3): Cadile WP (7K, 1BB) and Smarrella. S. Zorne D; Meyer 3S; S. Smith S, D, RBI; Matteson 2D, 5RBI; Smarrella D, RBI; Tuttle S, D, RBI; G. Smith S.