Bats power St. Edward sweep of Hampshire
The St. Edward softball team got enough offense Saturday to overcome defensive miscues and earn a doubleheader sweep.
The Green Wave won a pair of 1-run games, 6-5 and 5-4, over host Hampshire in nonconference play despite committing 10 errors in the two games. “The first game was rough,” said Green Wave coach Jaci Corn, whose team made 8 errors in the opening game. “We ended up turning it around.”
St. Edward (10-7) got a leadoff home run from Kali Kossakowski in the opening game and scored 2 runs in each the first, third and fifth inning.
The Whip-Purs (3-14) scored 3 unearned runs in the second inning without getting a hit as the Green Wave committed 5 errors in the inning. Hampshire got within a run, 6-5, in the bottom of the fifth by scoring twice, including another unearned run as Katie Mazor and Elisa Wood drove in runs with singles.
Hampshire got the first two batters on in the bottom of the sixth, but St. Edward pitcher Sarah Field (9-7) retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.
“We had a rough start,” Field said. “Everyone knows they have to pick each other up. We all realize that and people are going to make mistakes.”
The Green Wave started quickly in the second game as well. Tarah McShane hit a 2-run home run in the first for a 2-0 lead. Jen Hurst had a RBI double in the bottom of the first to get Hampshire back within 2-1.
The Whip-Purs trailed 3-2 in the sixth. Tiffany Bentley hit a two-out single to left field and advanced to second on an error. She went to third on a wild pitch as Kendall Walker walked. On the first pitch to the next batter, Walker purposely got in a rundown between first and second, allowing Bentley to score to tie the game at 3-3.
Veronica Rolando, who had 4 RBI on the day, hit a 2-run, two-out double down the third-base line in the seventh to give the Green Wave a 5-3 lead.
Ally Bosley singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Whip-Purs. She advanced all the way to third on another St. Edward error. Wood drove in Bosley on a groundout to make it 5-4. But Green Wave pitcher Julie Larson, who was making her first start, struck out the final two batters for the victory.
“We had some girls not here and we’re doing the best with what we have,” Hampshire coach Ken Bram said. “We’re limited, but they did a great job.”
St. Edward has won 10 of its last 11 games after starting the season 0-6.
“We had five new starters at the beginning of the season. They are all starting to mesh well together and bond,” Corn said. “They’ve got the experience under their belts now and it’s showing out on the field.”