Sara Driesenga

The SB Team completed a 3-game sweep against Penn State today by winning a double header 18-4 and 9-6.  Today, combined with teh emotional game yesterday, gives us a 6-0 record in conference play.

In the first game, Sara continued to dominate in the circle as well as at the plate.  She led all hitters by going 2 for 4 with 5 RBIs.  In the circle, she pitched all 5 innings; gave up 4 ER on 5 hits.  She had 3 Ks and 5 BB with 1 HBP.

Sierra Romero went long and deep, twice; finishing 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs and 4 runs scored.  Caitlin Blanchard went 3 for 4 with 1 RBI and 3 runs scored.  Ashley Lane went 2 for 5 with 1 RBI.  Sierra Lawrence went 2 for 3 with an RBI and 3 runs scored.  Colie went 3 for 3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. 

Overall we had 17 hits for the first game mercy-rule win.  Romero continues to tare it up and should be the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.  Lawrence will also get some love as well.  Caitlin is now leading the team in BA (>50 AB).

In the second game, Lauren Sweet came up big.  She went 4 for 4 with 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored.  Colie went 3 for 5 with an RBI.  Ashley Lane went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.  Jaclyn Crummey went 2 for 4.

Haylie got the ball in the second game and pitched all 7 innings.  She gave up 6 runs (2 ER) on 8 hits and 2 M errors.  She had 6 Ks and no BB although she had 2 HBP.

I predicted Penn State to finish near the bottom of the conference.  However, it is great to see such good pitching and timely hitting.  The game 1 game-ball goes to Sara and the game 2 game ball goes to Lauren.

Great job again ladies.  Keep it up.

The softball team dropped a heart-breaker to VT today at Cal State Fullerton.  VT took the win 3-2 with some timely hitting.

We were down 3-0 and had bases loaded in the 6th.  Sara put one over in RF foul territory for the sac fly and an RBI.  We could not score any more.  VT did not score in the top half of the 7th.  

In the bottom of the 7th, Amy Knapp hit a double to deep center which scored Ashley Lane, who drew a walk, for a 3-2 score.  Jacklyn Crummy came in to PR for Amy.  We just could not get a key hit to tie it up.

Haylie started and took the loss.  She pitched 4.2 innings, gave up 1 ER off 3 hits.  She had 3 Ks and 0 BB but had 2 HBP.  Sara came on in relief and gave up 2 ER on 2 hits.  She stuck out 2 and walked 1.

This loss is a killer.  We should have took this game but just could not get a key hit.  We had plently of opportunity to continue a rally but just could not get it.  

Keep up the hard work ladies.  We are proud of you all.  

The SB Team pounded the puppies of #18 Washington by a score of 6-1.  They are playing in the Judi Garman Classic in Southern California.  This tournament is a showcase with most of the teams in the Top 20.  We remained #14 in both polls this week dispite losing to Louisville.

Sara Driesenga and Sierra Romero were the offensive heroes today.  Sierra went long, twice.  She ended up 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.  Sara ended up 2 for 3 with an RBI.  Lauren Sweet got the bat hot by hitting a 3 run dinger.  She ended up 1 for 3 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.

Sara was the winning pitcher as well.  She dominated Washington by giving up 1 ER off 5 hits.  She had 4 Ks, 1 BB and 1 HBP.  This is another great performance by Sara.

Overall a very good start against a good team in Washington.  We did committ 2 errors which is not very exciting but Freshmen will be Freshmen. 

The softball team split their two games today in the Citris Classic in Orlando Florida.  The first game against LSU, we could not overcome some big LSU innings and lost 14-6.  In the second game we defeated James Madison University

Against LSU, Sierra Romero was the big gun. She went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.  Lyndsay went 2 for 4 and Colie went 2 for 5.  Sara was the losing pitcher.  She was bounced after only 2 innings of work.  She gave up 3 ER on 6 hits.  She had 1 K and 0 BB.

Sara just had a bad start.  It happens and it is a part of the game.  It could have been that double bean buritto she ate for dinner last night or something else.  Coach Hutch is "riding the hot horse".  Stephanie came in a pitched an inning and Alice closed it out.  It was just not our day in the circle.   That's ok.  Make the adjustments and move on, nothing to see here.

In the second game against James Madison U, Sara got back on that horse and rode it like its hot.  She pitched a gem in the 9-1, 6 inning Mercy-rule win.  Sara scattered 4 hits from the 22 batters faced.  She had 10Ks and 0BB.

Sierra Romero had the hot bat in the second game as well.  She went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.  Ashley Lane went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.Jacklyn Crummy went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Overall, a good but not great day today.  LSU is a very good team and with Haylie out, statistics say Sara was bound to have a "bad" start with all the innings she has pitched.  Great Job Sara.  Keep up the great work. 

The M SB team committed 5 errors in the 2nd Inning today.  This led to a 4-3 loss against DePaul at the NFCA Tourney in Clearwater Florida.  The weather was 79F and cloudy.  Sometimes there are ugly wins and pretty loses but an ugly loss is tough to take.  It will be a long trip back to A2.  We beat #12 UL@Layfayette convincingly this trip so that should take the sting away a little.

DePaul scored all of their 4 runs in the 2nd inning.  Of the 4 runs, only 1 was earned.  Sara pitched a good game but Coach pulled her after 1 2/3 innings in favor of Spierman.  Stephanie scattered 5 hits, struck out 1 and walked none (2 HBP though).  Sara has carried the entire load thus far.  So Im sure Coach wanted to give her a rest even though she was on her game.

Sara ended up with the loss although she pitched very well.  In any other game, her performance would be good enough to garner the W.  She gave up 1 ER of 4 hits and 1 BB.  Good Job Sara and a great job by Stephanie coming on in a difficult situation to keep DePaul in check.  It is nice to see this.

Now the errors cost us the game for sure.  However, I will give the kids a pass on this one.  We have 2 freshmen in the critical middle infield.  This was bound to happen just unfortuenly for us, we made consecutive errors and just could not recover.  The freshmen are certainly feeling down and hanging there heads low.  But these are FRESHMEN playing on the biggest stage for the GREATEST Coach.  These freshmen have got to be nervoous.  The key is how they come back next week and perform.  That is the measure of a true champion (IMO).

The offense was good enough for the win scoring 3 runs on 5 hits.  Sierra Lawerence went 2 for 4 and an RBI.  Sierra Romero and Amy Knapp both went 1 for 3 with a run scored.  Caitlyn had the other hit.  Sara recorded an RBI as well.

So overall this weekend was good, not great.  We continue to perform at a high level dispite having our other starting pitcher on the bench.  Coach will contiue to develop the freshmen and we will get better.  Once Haylie comes back, look out.

Sara Driesenga threw a no-hitter today against Hofstra.  She came within 3 batters of a perfect game.  She walked a batter in the 2nd.  Then both starting Freshmen made and error each; one each in the 5th and 6th innings.  She struck out 9 of the 24 batters she faced.  Sara has really dug in and took over now that Haylie is on the bench.  What a wonderful problem to have: 2 legit starting pitchers.

Sara was a factor at the plate too.  She went 1 for 3 with an RBI.  Sierra Lawerence hit a solo bomb in the 5th to break the scoreless tie.  We ended up with 7 hits on the game.

Coach Hutch is really mixing up the batting order.  She used 12 players in the game.   The team is now 9-2 with one more game this weekend.

Great Job Sara.  We never lost faith in you.  You make the entire MGo Family proud.