LYLE – Spring Grove and Rushford-Peterson were supposed to be Lyle/Pacelli’s competition in the Southeast Conference this year.

Wednesday, May 02, 2001

LYLE – Spring Grove and Rushford-Peterson were supposed to be Lyle/Pacelli’s competition in the Southeast Conference this year.

But a pair of sweeps and eight undefeated conference games later, Lyle/Pacelli softball coach Tom Clements knows better.

"This team rocks," Coach Clements said following his squad’s doubleheader sweep of Rushford-Peterson Tuesday night at home.

Battling the conditions, Amy Bickler struck out 15 in the two-game tilt and was one of the leading hitters in the series as well. She struck out eight in the first game, scattering five hits in a 6-1 victory for L/P.

Lyle/Pacelli scored four runs in the third to take a comfortable 5-1 lead. Erin Evans led the surge with a bases-loaded double that drove in all three runners, and later scored on a groundout by Brianna Enfield.

Kari Leif and Joan Sheedy each went 2-3 in the game, while Evans was 1-1 with four RBIs and two walks.

In the nightcap, Bickler struck out seven and got 13 hits of offensive support in a 10-3 L/P victory. Bickler went 2-4 at the plate with two doubles, and struck out seven as only one run was earned.

Rushford-Peterson felt the pressure from Lyle/Pacelli, committing six errors in the evening duel. L/P scored in each of the first five innings.

Sheedy was 2-3 with a triple, while Buffy Judd and Evans each went 2-4. Enfield was 1-3 with an RBI-double.

Lyle/Pacelli hosts Fillmore Central in Lyle Thursday at 4:30 p.m., and goes to Mabel-Canton for a make-up game on Friday.

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