Tiger softball stays unbeaten in fall with two wins Saturday

Echoes of M-I-Z-Z-O-U could be heard far from University Field on Saturday as the Tiger softball team trounced Three Rivers Community College 21-2, and Lake Land Community College 16-1.

The Tigers got off to a quick start, getting on the board in the second inning. Senior first baseman Marla Schweisberger started off the inning with a solo shot to right field. It was her first home run of the fall. With the game at 1-1, freshman catcher Maddison Ruggeberg stole second, aided by a catcher’s error. The error was the first in a series of errors, as the Raiders of Three Rivers Community College would finish the game with nine. The Tigers would capitalize on the errors, scoring seven runs in the second inning.

“I think the combination of the errors made by the other team and our improved hitting enabled us to score a lot of runs in a short period of time,” coach Ehren Earleywine said. “If you make a mistake against us, you will pay for it.”

Early in the fifth inning, sophomore Nicole Hudson blasted a grand slam over the right wall, which skipped on to a practice green at A.L. Gustin Golf Course and hit the flagstick. As a sophomore, she already leads the team this season in homeruns and looks to continue that into the spring.

“I’ve been working really hard to get to this point,” she said. “I felt like I really got where I wanted to be for the first time today.”

Hudson led the team in RBIs with six, and scored a total of four runs.

The second game of the afternoon, the final of the preseason, began with excitement. Junior pitcher Kristin Nottlemann struck out all three Lakers that she faced in the first inning of play.

“I wanted to make sure I struck out the first batter,” she said. “After that, I just went after them.”

Contrary to the norm all preseason, the Tigers got off to a fast start offensively in the second game. They registered five runs off of only three hits in the first inning, making the score 5-0. The game was quiet from then on until the third inning, when Rhea Taylor hit a single, batting in a run in the process. The Tigers also tacked on three more in the third, pushing their lead to 9-0.

“We hit the ball pretty solid today,” Earleywine said. “We only had one batter strike out, and I think that speaks volumes about our lineup.”

Nottelmann had a very impressive day, notching seven total strikeouts. She only allowed three hits en route to the win.

“We really tried to focus on the movement of the ball rather than speed,” she said.

In the sixth inning, Hudson came in to relieve Nottelmann, showing more signs of her versatility.

“I don’t do that often,” she said. “It was fun. I just want the team to know I’m more than willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

The Tigers scored another three runs in the fourth inning and another five in the fifth, putting the game out of reach for the Lakers at 16-0.

Senior outfielder Rhea Taylor led the team at the plate against the Raiders, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and one run scored.

The Tigers have high expectations after going 8-0 in the preseason and aim to carry their success over into the regular season on February 18, 2011, when they travel to San Diego to take on Fresno State in the San Diego Classic.