Scarlets sweep Packers
Published 10:35 pm Thursday, May 19, 2011
Austin catcher Danielle Tschann tries to keep the ball in front of her as Mankato West's Kinzie Scearcy attempts to score in the fourth inning of game one Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Austin softball team couldn’t put it all together as they were swept by Mankato West by scores of 7-1 and 12-1 in Todd Park Thursday.
Austin had 14 hits, but it scored just two runs in the two games.
The nightcap was a 1-0 West lead for four innings and Austin (5-13 overall, 5-10 Big Nine) couldn’t get a rally going. The Packers left two runners on base in the second and Marie Clennon missed a game-tying homerun by about two feet on a double to center field in the third. Clennon was stranded at second.
Molly Maschka leans back from a high, inside pitch during her at-bat in game one against Mankato West. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers had nine hits in the second game, but it couldn’t bunch them together.
“We need the stars to align,” Austin head coach Tina Strauss said.
The Scarlets (16-4 overall, 14-2 Big Nine) left the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings thanks to the glove of center fielder Lindsey Miller.
Miller, a senior, ran down a bloop single to get the second out of the second and she ran down a deep fly ball near the fence to end the fourth.
“Lindsey Miller played a great game in center and Marie (Clennon) did a great job on the mound,” Strauss said. “We need consistency in our defense. They’re very capable, but our consistency is sporadic. You can’t put the lead runner on every single inning and be able to think you’re going to keep them from scoring. They’re a good hitting team.”
West eventually broke through when Janee Wise knocked in two runs with a two-out single to center in the fifth to make it 3-0. The Scarlets added nine more runs over the next two innings as Mia Barten blasted a three-run homer over the center field fence.
Austin pitcher Marie Clennon delivers in game one of a doubleheader with Mankato West Thursday afternoon at Todd Park. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin played well against West for most of the first game, but the Scarlets rattled off seven straight hits to open the fourth inning as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead.
“Some of they’re batters, I couldn’t tell you what to throw them. They hit everything we threw,” Strauss said.
Austin had the bases loaded with one out in the third and Hope McAlister grounded in a run and Taylor Hackensmith grounded out to end the frame.
In the fifth, Austin freshman Abbey Ball almost hit a homer into left, but West’s Chelsea Mielke pulled in the catch while knocking over the left field fence.
Austin had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Abby Gallaher popped out and Danielle Tschann was thrown out at home. Ball flew out to end the game.
West 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 — 7 11 1
Austin 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 5 1
Austin pitching: Marie Clennon (L), 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 4 K, HBP; Abbey Ball, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K
Austin hitting: Lindsey Miller, 1-for-3, R; Liz Gerhart, 0-for-3; Clennon, 0-for-3; Danielle Tschann, 2-for-3; Hope McAlister, 1-for-3, RBI; Taylor Hackensmith, 1-for-3; Molly Maschka, 0-for-2; Ball, 0-for-3; Katelyn Joseph, 1-for-2; Abby Gallaher, 0-for-1
West 0 0 1 0 2 4 5 — 12 18 0
Austin 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 9 4
Austin pitching: Clennon (L), 5 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 2 K; Ball, 2 IP, 11 H, BB, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 K
Austin hitting: Miller, 1-for-3; Gerhart, 1-for-4; Clennon, 1-for-4, double; Tschann, 1-for-4, double, R; McAlister, 1-for-3; Hackensmith, 1-for-2, BB; Ball, 1-for-3; Haley Underwood, 1-for-2, RBI, BB; Joseph, 1-for-3
