Flawless Batavia tops Geneva

It was a tale of two different defenses in Western Sun Conference softball action on Tuesday afternoon.

Geneva had three miscues in the opening two innings, which led to an unearned run for visiting Batavia in each frame.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, were masterful, making play after play in support of sophomore right-hander Brooke Nelson. The Bulldogs' ace fired her second shutout in as many days to lead Batavia past the Vikings 2-0 in Geneva.

Batavia (13-10, 7-3) is thinking of a league title while Geneva (14-15, 5-6) lost its third straight conference game.

"The defense has been outstanding," Batavia coach Leon Pedraza said. "Every play is critical. We have not lost a game where we had one error or less this season."

Batavia struck in the first after Kelly Coleman led off the game with a double. Perched on a third after a sacrifice and strike out, the senior came home when Geneva could not corral a slow roller to the right side.

Emily Dorjath reached to begin the Bulldogs' second on the Vikings' third infield error, and courtesy runner Bryanna Cikesh ultimately scored on a Coleman safety squeeze.

Geneva starter Kelly McCaffrey (7-7) only allowed 4 hits on the day, but Nelson (12-6) and the Bulldogs' flawless fielding carried the day.

Batavia senior shortstop Alexa Schofield was one of the primary villains. Deidrea Phalon was the only Geneva player to solve Nelson all day, recording both of the Vikings' hits.

But with Phalon on second base, Schofield ended the threat with a back-to-the-infield catch against Marly Eimerman in the second.

"That's like my signature catch," Schofield said. "I have had so many of those the last two years."

In the Vikings' fourth, Geneva appeared ready to strike back quickly. Dori Rogers' leadoff walk was followed by a Melissa Barber drive to right center.

But Batavia turned the play into a fielder's choice by erasing Rogers at second, and Coleman had an unassisted-putout-throw-to-first double play on the ensuing batter end the mild threat.

"Kelly Coleman has been amazing (defensively) this year," Nelson said.

Schofield then ended the Vikings' most promising scoring chance in the fifth when she gunned down Phalon at the plate after the latter doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch.

"The main thing is the talking," Schofield said of the Bulldogs' collective defensive prowess. "We were communicating out there the whole game."

"We had plenty of mistakes all around," Geneva coach Greg Dierks said. "They have outplayed us both games."