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Craig softball wins despite being no-hit

JANESVILLE — Winning a game when your team is no-hit is rare.

It’s even more rare when your team has to score four times to win.

That happened to Coach Dan Bayreuther and his Craig softball team Tuesday night.

The Cougars defeated visiting Beloit Memorial, 4-3, in a Big Eight Conference game despite being no-hit by Ali Goecks.

The Cougars used 11 walks and several wild pitches to go to 2-0 in the Big Eight and 4-2 overall.

Bayreuther was surprised the Cougars were able to pull off the win, especially since Goecks wasn’t that wild.

“She was very overpowering,” Bayreuther said. “We didn’t make any adjustments, but toward the end we got patient, and she started walking us.

“To her credit, she never put it down the middle. She had us baffled. We didn’t hit anything hard at all.”

Beloit led, 3-2, going into the bottom of the seventh. Junior captain Gabrielle Cassady led off with a walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Senior captain Jillynn Mortensen walked.

With Lindsey Oliver up, Goecks uncorked another wild pitch, which allowed Cassady to score the tying run and send Mortensen to second.

Whitney Oliver dropped a bunt down the first-base line. The throw to first hit Oliver on the shoulder, and the ball bounced away, allowing Mortensen to score the winning run.

Beloit took a 3-0 lead in the second inning, but Craig responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. Mortensen walked, went to second on a passed ball. Oliver walked and both runners advanced a base on another wild pitch. Katelyn Shere then scored Mortensen with a grounder.

In the third, Cassady and Mortensen walked with two outs. The Purple Knights attempted to force Mortensen on a grounder to shortstop, but she was safe to load the bases.

Shere then walked to force in Mortensen.

Bayreuther credited the pitching of sophomores Bailie Whittaker and Paige Owens for keeping the Cougars in the game.

“Our pitching and defense won the game for us,” Bayreuther said. “Our pitchers did a fine job.”

Craig plays at La Follette

CRAIG 4, BELOIT 3

Beloit 030 000 0—3 7 2

Craig 011 000 2—4 0 1

Goecks and Masterson; Whittaker, Owens (5) and Cassady.

Leading hitters—Draeving (BM) 2x3. 2B—Smith (BM). 3B—Draeving (BM).

SO—Goecks (BM) 8, Whittaker (JC) 2, Owens (JC) 3. BB—Goecks 11, Whittaker 2, Owens 1.