HHS stumbles vs. Pratt

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:52

Allison Weber delivers a pitch during the fifth inning of Game 1 vs. Pratt. Weber came in to relieve starting pitcher Courtney Weber in Hillsboro’s 19-3 loss.

On a day when the Hillsboro softball team needed to bring its “A” game, it brought considerably less.

The Trojans’ highly anticipated showdown against the defending league champion Pratt Green­backs turned into a letdown last Tuesday, losing by margins of 19-3 and 11-2.

“Our play was very flat, communication was lacking, and we did not bat nearly as well as we could have,” coach Stephanie Sinclair said. “The girls were disappointed and want to get things turned around.”

The Game 1 trouncing was like stepping into the Twilight Zone. By the time it was over, Hills­boro had committed 11 fielding errors against a top-to-bottom tough lineup that didn’t need the charity.

Hillsboro led 2-1 after the first inning on a triple by Sammy Koons after Stephanie Sanders singled and Bradli Nowak walked. But Pratt countered with two runs in their next at bat, then broke the game open with five runs in the third inning against starter Courtney Weber (4-1).

In the third, a hit batter, four consecutive base hits, a fielder’s choice and two walks brought in four runs with only one out—and it brought Allison Weber to the pitching rubber in relief.

One more run scored before the freshman recorded the last two outs.

Leading 11-3 through six, the Greenbacks added insult to injury with an eight-run seventh inning that was fueled by five more hits and three more Trojan errors.

Hillsboro cleaned up its defense in Game 2, committing only two errors, but managed only five base hits off Pratt starter Brittnee Hill. A four-run third inning and five-run sixth secured a comfortable nine-run victory against starter Allison Weber (4-2).

Offensively, Koons and Sanders each went four-for-seven for the day while Madison Klein went 3-for-5. Together, they accounted for all but three of Hillsboro’s 14 hits.

The two-game sweep extended the Trojans’ losing streak to three games after a 9-0 start. An open date Friday will give the team time to pull itself back together, Sinclair said.

“We need to be better about encouraging others and sticking together as a team,” she said. “I expect a full turnaround as we work through things at practice.”

Hillsboro was scheduled to play Tuesday at Sterling, then won’t play again until next Tuesday (May 1), when the team travels to Haven.