By Kevin Johnson -- Daily Sports Correspondent

STRASBURG — "It's indescribable."

Those were the only words Strasburg pitcher Lauren Stickles could muster following her return to the diamond after a three-week absence with tendinitis in her knee.

Instead, Stickles chose to let her play do the talking, giving up just two hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Rams beat visiting Manassas Park, 6-5, in Bull Run District softball on Friday.

"We waited a long time and Allyson [Ponn has] done a great job for us, but it's nice to have Lauren back pitching for us," Rams center fielder Jaclyn Ayers said.

Ponn, a freshman, filled in for Stickles in the pitchers' circle.

It would be that combination that would get the Rams on the board with their first run in the first inning, with Stickles reaching on a fielder's choice with one out, and Ponn running for her and scoring on a fielder's choice to give Strasburg a one-run advantage.

Stickles mowed down Cougars batters in the first two innings, allowing only one runner on an error.

In the top of the third, Stickles surrendered her first hit of the night on an infield squibber by Manassas Park right fielder Ashley Kettler, who came around to score on an error later in the inning to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom half of the third, the Rams seized control of the game with five straight hits, including a double by designated hitter Lindsey Dean off Manassas Park starter Angie Oliver that scored Ayers and Ariel McCarter.

Shortstop Cassidy Weitman then hit a single that added two more runs for the Rams in what was a four-run inning.

"Last time we played them, we knew she [Oliver] was slow but we just hit it to people," Ayers said. "But this time we hit it into the holes, and that's what helped us this time around."

The score remained at 5-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when Rams first baseman Bethany Doman led off the inning with a triple and scored what would become a critical run on a Tiffany Milgram sacrifice fly.

"I was so eager to just get a hit right now," Doman said. "I was so happy to just hit a shot finally."

With a seemingly comfortable 6-1 advantage, Strasburg coach Suzanne Mathias sat Stickles down in the seventh inning. As a result, the Rams' lead soon evaporated after a flurry of hits off Ponn.

That's when Mathias reinserted Stickles to stop the bleeding.

Stickles got Manassas Park third baseman Dakota Ewick to hit a grounder to first, and Domas carefully scooped the ball up and stepped on the bag for the final out.

"It's an awesome feeling," Doman said of the victory and Stickles' return to the lineup. "We were waiting and anxious. We were happy that Allyson stepped it up and pitched awesome, but we're so excited to have Lauren back."

Mathias echoed Doman's sentiments.

"It's just nice to have [Stickles] back and have her on the field," she said. "For them, it's just important to have their whole team back on the field and it makes a difference mentally for them as well.

"That's what we've been fighting the last four games. You can just see a difference in their whole demeanor tonight."

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