by Dean Raymond
Correspondent
Stow -- Stow-Munroe Falls softball team belted out 16 hits and received a brilliant relief pitching performance from senior right-hander Lauren Hurd (5-0) as the Bulldogs defeated visiting Nordonia 13-5 April 16.
"I knew we could hit," Stow head coach Doug Hawkins said. "We just needed to be more disciplined at the plate. We have been doing that the last two or three games. Lauren (Hurd) came in and shut the door on Nordonia."
Meanwhile, Knights coach Jack Gore tipped his hat to the Bulldogs.
"Our pitching hurt us," Gore said. "We made a few mistakes and it was just one of those games. Stow was prepared and they hit the ball. They took the game away from us. We are a young team and we have a lot of work to do."
Stow (7-2) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off of Lady Knight junior right-hander Alyssa Budner (1-2). With one out, senior center fielder Taylor Weddle singled to right field and advanced to second base on a single to left field off the bat of junior shortstop Sammi Guinn. A groundout moved both runners up a base before Weddle scored on a wild pitch from Budner.
However, Nordonia (2-4) would then score all of their runs in the top of the second inning as Stow senior right-hander Caitlin Baker struggled with her control.
With one out, senior third baseman Sarah Knepper walked and went to second base when sophomore right fielder Ashley Puscian singled to left field. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base before a walk to junior second baseman Jessica Russo loaded the bases with one out.
Another walk to sophomore designated player Shannon Schwed scored Knepper as the Lady Knights tied the game at one. Freshman shortstop Michelle Bascombe came up next and also walked, scoring Puscian for a 2-1 Nordonia advantage.
Hurd then relieved Baker at that point and struck out the first batter she faced. Junior center fielder Steph Misciagna then singled to right field as Russo, Schwed and Bascombe scored for a 5-1 Lady Knight lead.
The Lady Bulldogs scored once in the bottom of the second inning to trail 5-2.
Senior left fielder Nikki Goodwin led off with a single to right field before a pair of groundouts moved her to third base with two outs. The Nordonia catcher then tried to pick Goodwin off third base but the throw went into left field as Goodwin scored.
Stow took the lead for good at 6-5 with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs and Guinn on first base, senior second baseman Allison Scherer beat out an infield single as Guinn went to second base. Junior designated player Tiffany Oshinsky then singled to center field, scoring Guinn as the Lady Bulldogs trailed 5-3. Goodwin came up next and singled to center field, scoring Scherer as Stow was down just 5-4.
A wild pitch and a walk to senior right fielder Ashley Giovinazzo eventually loaded the bases before sophomore first baseman Chelsea Carlson singled to left field, scoring Oshinsky and Goodwin for a 6-5 Lady Bulldog advantage.
Hurd retired the side in the Lady Knight fourth frame, including a pair of strikeouts, before Stow sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored five times for an 11-5 lead. All the damage by the Lady Bulldogs came off Nordonia relief pitcher, senior right-hander Rachael Mong.
With one out, freshman third baseman Julie Rooney legged out an infield single and stole second base. An error and a stolen base by Weddle put Stow runners on second and third. Guinn then singled to left field as Rooney scored for a 7-5 Lady Bulldog lead.
With runners on second and third once again, Scherer doubled to right field, scoring Weddle and Guinn for a 9-5 Stow advantage. A single to left field from Oshinsky scored Scherer as the Lady Bulldogs led 10-5. Goodwin (3-for-3 on the day with two runs scored and two RBI) then doubled to center fold as Oshinsky scored for an 11-5 Stow advantage.
The Lady Bulldogs kept their hitting shoes on and scored twice more in the fifth frame. Rooney drew a lead-off walk and stole second base before a single by Weddle to center field scored Rooney as Stow led 12-5.
Weddle went to second base on the throw home and advanced to third base on a single to left field off the bat of Guinn (3-for-4 on the day with two runs scored and an RBI). Schwed relieved Mong at that point and gave up an RBI single to left field off the bat of Scherer (Guinn had stolen second base) as Weddle scored for a 13-5 Lady Bulldog advantage.
Scherer ended up 3-for-4 on the afternoon with two runs scored and three RBI.
Hurd then retired the next five Lady Knight batters, including three on strikeouts. Hurd went 5.2 innings giving up two hits, nine strikeouts and just one walk.
Nordonia ended up stranding just one runner in the game, while Stow left seven on the bases.
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