Neuqua Valley's Hohman hits her stride

Now this is the Colleen Hohman who Neuqua Valley wants toeing the rubber.

The Wildcats senior struck out 12, 2-hitting Waubonsie Valley 7-0 on Wednesday afternoon in Aurora.

Hohman (5-3) has thrown shutouts her last two starts after a difficult first month.

"It feels a lot better, getting back on track," Hohman said. "Obviously, I had a very rough start to the season and I've been working hard trying to get it back. It felt good to get it back for the Waubonsie game.

"I think it was all mental. I struggled in my first start and it just went downhill. I wasn't mentally tough as a pitcher like I should have been. I took some time, focused on what I wanted out of this and once I did that I worked with my pitching coach and was right on track."

Hohman's command was strong, walking just three batters. Only one runner reached second base over the first six innings, and that runner was thrown out trying to steal third base by Neuqua catcher Rebecca Lincoln.

"She was really on today," Neuqua coach Elaina Tanaka said of Hohman. "She was firing hard today. She was very confident on the mound today, but she always carries herself confidently."

Hohman got several swings-and-misses off an effective changeup.

"Lately it's been my go-to pitch. Sometimes it's the only pitch I can get a strike over," Hohman said. "When I'm walking people I go to that pitch, and it's a good pitch to get people off-balance."

Neuqua (15-7, 8-3 Upstate Eight Conference) broke up a scoreless game in the fourth, as Jenna Marsalli golfed a low pitch over the fence in left for a solo homer, her eighth of the year.

Marsalli doubled and Hohman singled her in in the sixth, part of a 2-run inning that made it 3-0. Kat Widup added a 2-run single and Hohman a towering 2-run homer to left in the seventh.

"I just got in the box today ready to hit the ball as hard as I could," said Hohman, who went 3-for-4 and was a triple short of the cycle. "I had a hitting lesson last night, and I was looking for my pitch. But that one, I didn't think that was going to be a home run."

Waubonsie (5-15, 4-5) starting pitcher Lauren Thresh scattered 4 hits over the first five innings. She was helped by a pair of great defensive plays in the outfield. Becky Randall made a running catch in left and doubled off a runner at third in the fifth, and center fielder Ryane Pappa made a diving catch to save a run in the seventh.

"We're starting to jell as a team, which is nice keeping that morale up," first-year Warriors coach Jennifer Jennings said. "I had a lot more communication today than I've had all season. My girls did great and Lauren pitched great."