Softball Opens WHAC Play With Sweep of Rochester Christian
(Howell, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team had to wait two extra days to open up WHAC play due to the weather, but the wait was worth it, as the Cougars took both games from the visiting Rochester Christian University Warriors Monday afternoon at Lake Trust Stadium.
In Game 1: Rochester would take advantage of a Cougar error, and scored twice in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Cleary would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. A Gabrielle Monreal walk, followed by a Mia Rzepka single, allowed Jenna Wagenschutz to double off the left field fence, scoring both runners. The two teams traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the sixth, when Cleary would take the lead. Arianna Harden would reach on an error, and Grace MacCaughan would pinch run for the leadoff batter. Two batters later, Jessica Garmen hit a bomb to left center, scoring what would become the go-ahead and game-winning runs.
Halle Dargie was stellar, as she allowed 2 unearned runs on 5 hits in a complete game en route to her third win of the season. Mia Rzepka went 3/3 in the game, while Jenna Wagenschutz went 1/3 with 2 RBI.
In Game 2: After being held scoreless for the first three innings, Cleary's offense came alive in the fourth inning to take control of the game. Gabrielle Monreal led off the inning with a single, and advanced to second on a Mia Rzepka sacrifice bunt. Kate Currie would triple to right field, scoring Monreal, and giving Cleary a 1-0 lead. The next batter, Jenna Wagenschutz, would lay a bunt, but beat out the throw, and Currie would score on some savvy base running. Two more runs would score on a dropped fly ball, and Cleary would hold a 4-0 advantage through four innings. Cleary's lead would grow in the fifth to 7-0. Gabrielle Monreal and Mia Rzepka both reached, and Kate Currie singled to right to score Monreal. Rzepka would score on a sacrifice bunt by Jenna Wagenschutz, and Currie would score on an error later in the inning. Rochester Christian would show signs of life in the sixth after hitting a two-run home run, but Jessica Garmen would hit her second home run of the day with a towering shot to left field, giving the Cougars an 8-2 lead. RCU added three runs in the seventh, but Sonya Terleckyj was able to make the pitches needed to end the game, as Cleary won 8-5.
Sonya Terleckyj threw a complete game, with 8 strikeouts, while allowing 5 runs on 11 hits for her fourth win of the season. Gabrielle Monreal went 2/4 with 2 runs, while Kate Currie went 2/3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.
The Cougars improve to 7-11 overall, 2-0 in the WHAC. Cleary will be back at Lake Trust Stadium on Friday, March 29, when they host the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils in a doubleheader that was originally scheduled for Sunday, March 24.