Craig offense races past Parker
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JANESVILLE — The seniors delivered Thursday night for Janesville Craig High’s softball team.
Senior Mandy Smith pitched a complete-game and drove in two runs, while seniors Anna Fagerli and Abby Geiger helped get the offense on track, as the Cougars raced past crosstown rival Janesville Parker, 8-1, in Big Eight Conference play at Dawson Field.
Craig completed the regular-season sweep of Parker in improving to 7-8 overall and 5-7 in the conference.
“I give this win to our seniors,” Craig coach Dan Bayreuther said. “This was a big game for them because it might be the last time they play Parker.
“And I give credit to the entire team. We’ve been struggling a little bit lately, but the girls have kept a great attitude.”
Smith and Parker starter, Mary Kate Tracey, matched each other pitch-for-pitch early. Neither team scored the first three innings, as Tracey worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the third. Tracey threw Jillynn Mortensen out at home on a force out and got Abby Geiger to ground out to end the threat.
Craig finally pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth. With one out, Fagerli doubled to the gap in left center. She scored on Mortensen’s RBI single and Kelly Lyke, who walked and moved to third on an error, scored on a fielder’s choice groundout.
The Cougars opened up a five-run cushion with three more runs in the fifth. Lead-off hitter Gabrielle Cassady tripled to start the rally and raced home on the play thanks to a Parker throwing error. With one out, Geiger and Smith singled. Fagerli followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0, and Smith stole home on a delayed double steal to push the lead to 5-0.
“We tried move girls up on the plate the second time through the order, and that seemed to help,” Bayreuther said. “Anna came up with a big double to get us going, and Mandy’s triple was the big blow.”
After Parker scored its only run in the sixth on Carol Anne Maveety’s RBI groundout, Smith tripled to drive in Brianne Gohlke and Geiger in the seventh.
Despite nine hits, Parker remains in a scoring drought. The Vikings (5-8, 4-7) have scored only four runs in their last five games.
“I’m not frustrated because I feel like we’re hitting the ball decent,” Parker coach Dyann Riley said. “We’re just not putting any hits together, and that was the case again tonight.
“Craig did a nice job of executing and got some key hits when they needed them. Our defense played a lot better tonight, but we couldn’t get anything going at the plate.”
Smith held the Vikings in check thanks to a tantalizing changeup that a number of hitters couldn’t lay off. The righthander finished with four strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
“Mandy kept them off-balance and that was the key,” Bayreuther said. “Parker’s a pretty good hitting team.
“This was a big game for her and she went out and really pitched well.”
Parker will play in the Wilmot Invitational on Saturday. Craig is at Madison West in Big Eight Conference action on Monday.
CRAIG 8, PARKER 1
Craig (ab-r-h-rbi)—Cassady, c, 4-1-1-0; Gohlke, rf, 4-1-1-0; Geiger, 1b, 3-2-1-0; M. Smith, p, 4-2-2-2; Fagerli, 3b, 3-1-2-2; C. Smith, pr, 0-0-0-0; Lyke, cf, 2-1-0-1; Mortensen, lf, 4-0-2-1; Freeman, dp, 2-0-0-0; Oliver, 2b, 3-0-1-0. Totals: 29-8-10-6.
Parker (ab-r-h-rbi)—Koebler, 3b, 3-0-1-0; Lilburn, rf, 4-1-3-0; Kluge, c, 3-0-2-0; Klawitter, cf, 3-0-1-0; Maveety, lf, 3-0-0-1; Fiedler, 2b, 3-0-0-0; Newlin, 1b, 3-0-0-0; Benash, ss, 3-0-1-0; Muehlenkamp, dp, 3-0-1-0; Tracey, p, 0-0-0-0. Totals: 28-1-9-1.
Janesville Craig 000 230 3—8
Janesville Parker 000 001 0—1
E—Parker 2. LOB—Craig 5, Parker 8. SAC—Freeman, Kluge. SF—Lyke. SB—M. Smith, Oliver. 2B—Mortensen, Fagerli. 3B—Cassady, M. Smith.
IP H R ER BB SO
Craig
M. Smith (W) 7 9 1 1 0 4
Parker
Tracey (L) 7 10 8 8 2 3
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