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Defense lets Hampshire down in dome loss

After a win over Round Lake on Saturday, Hampshire softball coach Stacey Stepek was glowing about her team's defense.

But on Tuesday, that solid defense didn't make the trip to Rosemont with the Whip-Purs.

Two key errors in the fifth inning opened the floodgates for Marian Central to score 4 unearned runs on its way to a 9-4 win over Hampshire at The Dome at the Ballpark.

"I kind of had to eat my words from what I said about our defense being so good," Stepek said "Today we got quiet and quit communicating after a couple errors. I just told them they had to talk more."

After a scoreless two innings to start the game, the Hurricanes jumped ahead 3-0 in the top of the third as they touched Hampshire senior Haley Widmayer for 4 hits including a 2-run single from sophomore first baseman Emily Miller.

But the Whips (1-2) came right back with their only runs of the game to take a 4-3 lead.

No. 9 hitter Joslyn Nelson led the inning off with a walk an after a Widmayer sacrifice bunt, Marian made a fielding error on a Jasmine Lopez bunt and Nelson ended up at third. Marian sophomore Grace Shukis got a strikeout for the second out but during that at-bat Lopez stole second and another Marian error allowed Nelson to score the Whips' first run.

Hampshire sophomore Peyton DeChant then kept the inning alive with a run-scoring single up the middle that plated Lopez to make it 3-2.

A bloop single from freshman Melissa Esparza and a walk to junior Ellie Lapi preceded a 2-run single on a 3-2 pitch from sophomore Renee Malecke to put the Whips ahead 4-3.

Marian's first five batters in the top of the fifth reached base and four of them scored. The Hurricanes got RBI singles from Miller, sophomore Jackie Chmiel and sophomore Meredith Bryan in addition to using the Hampshire errors and a walk to help the cause.

The Hurricanes added two insurance runs in the sixth. After Hampshire turned a double play Miller walked, Michaela Faunce reached on a fielder's choice an Chmiel laced a 2-run triple to the corner in right field, the last of Marian's 11 hits off Widmayer, who struck out 7 and walked 4.

"Haley wasn't getting the calls we wanted but you have to play through that," said Stepek of Widmayer, who seven times went to 3-2 on batters. "Haley always does a nice job but it's hard for her to adjust to the inside-outside and her changeup wasn't working today. It's not like her to miss those spots.

Hampshire had just 6 hits as Shukis and sophomore winning relief pitcher Maddie Peters combined for 9 strikeouts and 3 walks.

DeChant and Esparza each had 2 hits for the Whips.

"Our bats weren't great today. These kids weren't whizzing it by us but they hit their spots," said Stepek. "The young kids have to adjust to the pitching. Some of them are still playing 14U. It's a big adjustment. It's early in the season. We just have to get those kinks out and move on."

  Hampshire's Joslyn Nelson, left, gets a hand from teammate Peyton DeChant after scoring against Marian Central at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont Tuesday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Hampshire pitcher Haley Widmayer faces Marian Central at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Hampshire catcher Ellie Lapi tags Marian Central's Hannah O'Hagan out at home plate at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Hampshire Jasmine Lopez is tagged out a third by Marian Central third baseman Mary Black at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Hampshire catcher Ellie Lapi rounds third base and hits the brakes back to the bag against Marian Central at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
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