Fast-pitch team wins 3 of first 4

Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 7, 2003

The Albert Lea Sluggers, this year’s entry in the Southern Minny Girls’ Fast-Pitch Softball League, began the season with a home doubleheader last week against the Owatonna VFW.

On a cool and wet night the Sluggers took an early lead that they held throughout on their way to an 8-2 victory.

Winning pitcher Liz Thompson struck out one batter and walked just two in pitching all five innings. Her teammates supported her with some solid defensive plays and committed just one error.

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Offensively, the team had just three hits but took advantage of nine walks and one hit batter by Owatonna pitching to score eight runs. Evin Sather led the attack with two runs scored and two hits, one being a long triple. Marisa Cottrell added the only other Slugger hit.

Game Two was a complete reversal. Albert Lea pitching allowed nine walks and hit one Owatonna batter, the defense committed eight errors and Owatonna took advantage of all the generosity from for a 10-6 win.

Cottrell led the hitters with two safeties. Hali Hendrickson, Jaclyn Rehmke, Katherine Ladwig, Claire Paczkowski, and Jordan Malimanek added one each.

The first road trip of the season led to Lyle for a doubleheader with the Lyle-Pacelli Athletics.

The first game was a pitcher’s duel between Thompson and a hard-throwing left-hander. Thompson and the Sluggers prevailed 1-0.

The only run of the game scored in the top of the third inning when Niki Hendrickson had a one-out single, stole second, and was knocked home by another hit off the bat of Cottrell. Sather, with another triple, and Chelsea Barrett had the other Albert Lea hits.

Lyle-Pacelli had only two base runners, getting just one hit and one walk. Thompson was the winning pitcher. She recorded nine strikeouts and again had excellent support in the field as her teammates played error-free defense.

In Game two the Sluggers opened with four runs in the first inning off the same L-P pitcher on their way to a 7-0 victory.

Sather was the winning pitcher as she pitched the first three innings and struck out three. Thompson threw the final two innings and added two more strikeouts. The two pitchers combined for a no-hitter, and the defense was again solid with just one error.

Jordan Malimanek turned in the defensive play of the night from her second base position. She snared a line drive for one out, then tagged the runner going by to record an unassisted double play to end the fourth inning.

Sather and Thompson both had doubles and Niki Hendrickson along with Tatum Roberts had the other hits for the Slugger offense. Hali Hendrickson led with two runs scored.

After one week of play the team holds a 3-1 record. The next action for the Sluggers is Monday night at Austin followed by Wednesday at Hammer Field against Stewartville. All games are doubleheaders with the first game starting at 6 p.m.

The team is coached by Stu Hendrickson.