The official start of the season for the Riverland Community College softball team was a slow one, as the Lady Blue Devils began the year with a pair of losses in a non-conference doubleheader at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City Thursday afternoon.

Friday, March 29, 2002

The official start of the season for the Riverland Community College softball team was a slow one, as the Lady Blue Devils began the year with a pair of losses in a non-conference doubleheader at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City Thursday afternoon.

The Devils were limited to two runs in each contest on a total of eight hits. NIACC knocked out 16 hits in the two-game stint and posted a pair of victories, 9-2 and 4-2.

Freshman Marisa Kelsey suffered the loss for the Riverland pitching staff in the first game, giving up six hits and three walks while striking out two. NIACC scored four runs – mostly unearned – in the bottom of the sixth inning to break open their 5-2 lead.

"Basically we were right in it until the sixth when they scored four," said Riverland coach Lisa Quednow-Bickler. "We kind of let up defensively a little bit and they really capitalized on it."

Riverland had just two hits in the game. Sophomore shortstop Missy Avery doubled and freshman catcher Jenna Cummins singled. The Devils committed two errors, and NIACC hammered out two home runs off Kelsey.

In the nightcap, sophomore starter Sherry Hanson surrendered 10 hits but the defense did a better job of limiting NIACC’s scoring in an eventual 4-2 Riverland loss. Hanson struck out one and walked one as all four NIACC runs came earned.

The highlight of Riverland’s six-hit performance was Avery’s first home run of the season. Her tally tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning before NIACC reclaimed the lead with a single run in the bottom half.

The Devils tied the score again with a run in the top of the sixth, but NIACC retaliated with two more for the 4-2 victory.

"It was a really good, solid game," Coach Quednow-Bickler said. "We were hitting the ball, we just hit it to them and they made the plays.

"We’re battling, that’s for sure. We’re playing some good competition early and I think we will be successful down the road if we keep doing the little things right."

Riverland remains on the road in Iowa for their second non-conference doubleheader of the season. The Devils visit Waldorf College with a pair of games scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. in Forest City.

Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at sports@austindailyherald.com.

Linescores:

Riv 000 110 0 – 2 2 2

NIACC 002 214 0 – 9 6 0

LP – Kelsey 0-1; C ­ Cummins.

Riv 001 001 0 – 2 6 0

NIACC 101 002 0 – 4 10 1

LP – Hanson 0-1; C ­ Cummins. HR-R: Avery (1).