Bartlett falls twice in Ohio

Bartlett played two top teams in Ohio tough Friday but the Hawks came away with two losses on the first day of the Wendy’s Spring Classic softball tournament in Ashland, Ohio.

The Hawks opened the day with a 3-2 loss to Boardman High School and Ohio State-bound pitcher Alex DiDomenico, who struck Bartlett out 16 times.

Down 2-0, Bartlett scored twice in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Kaylyn Zierke’s suicide squeeze brought in the tying run.

But Boardman touched losing pitcher Amanda Montbriand (6 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 ER) for a run in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win.

“It was by far one of the best games we’ve played all year long, and (Boardman) is one of the best teams in Ohio,” said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith. “Amanda Montbriand pitched a great game and it was just a very well-played game.”

Bartlett (6-9) then suffered a 7-4 loss to Hillsdake (OH), a game in which the Hawks had an early 4-2 lead. Brittany Idler had a double for Bartlett and Cassie Hernandez 2 RBI, while Zierke drove in a run as well. Wolfsmith said he thought Idler’s double should have been a home run and there was another disputed non-home run he said would have been a Hawks grand slam that curled foul past the fence.

“I thought we played well against a good-hitting team,” Wolfsmith said. “We had the opportunity to score. Overall we played well against good competition here today and I’m pleased with the manner in which we played.”

Freshman Holly Pagan took the loss for the Hawks against Hillsdale, allowing 7 hits with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts in 4-plus innings.

Bartlett concludes the trip with two more games today.