Sports - South Platte Sentinel

Sports
South Platte Sentinel
Sterling Lady Tiger softball team
is off to a 4-1 start in 2013 season
By Ken McDowell
Sports Editor
The 2013 softball season started
out in a furry with five games in a
three day span for the Sterling
Lady Tigers, beginning Thursday
at home in a Patriot League
contest with the Eaton Lady Reds.
Sterling trailed 4-1 going into the
bottom of the sixth inning when
the bats came alive, with the Lady
Tigers pushing home four runs, all
with two outs, to take a 5-4 lead.
Senior Heather Petarde had the
big hit in the inning, driving a triple
down the left field line that tied the
game at 4-4.
Senior Angela Meraz came
through with what proved to be the
game winner with an RBI single
to send home Petarde, giving the
Lady Tigers their first lead of the
contest at 5-4.
Eaton loaded the bases with two
outs in the top of the seventh, but
the game ended when sophomore
pitcher Kylie Ross fanned the next
Eaton batter to preserve the win.
Ross picked up the win in relief
of sophomore Alexis Rutz, who
moved to center field and in that
seventh inning made a potential
game-saving diving catch.
At the plate Petarde was a
perfect 3-for-3 with a double, a
triple, 2 RBI’s and 2 runs scored.
Sophomore Halee Woltemath
was also perfect on the day, going
2-for-2 with a double, and RBI and
a run scored.
Ross, sophomore Tessa Wilson
and Meraz each had a hit, with
Meraz getting a double.
Sophomore second baseman
Lauren Szabo was hit on the
bridge of the nose by the ball
covering first base during the
game, but she was back in the
lineup on Saturday when the Lady
Tigers hosted Scottsbluff, Neb., in
a make-up double-header.
The Lady Tigers had no trouble
sweeping that twin-bill, winning
the first game 12-2 and taking the
nightcap 15-2.
Sterling banged out 11 hits in the
opener Szabo showed no signs
of her injury on Thursday, going
3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and
a run scored.
Rutz was also 3-for-4 with 3
runs scored; Meraz was 2-for-3
with 2 RBI’s and 3 runs scored;
sophomore Jenna Knudson was
1-for-2 with a triple, 3 RBI’s and
2 runs scored; sophomore Megan
Kaiser had a double and an RBI
and Petarde was 1-for-4 with 2
RBI’s.
Rutz, Ross and junior Dallas
Magnusson shared the pitching
duties with Magnusson, Sterling
ace last year, made her first
appearance of the season after
recovering from an elbow injury.
The
Lady
Tiger
offense
continued to roll in the nightcap
with Sterling scoring 15 runs on 11
more hits.
Szabo continued to swing the
bat well by going 2-for-3 with a
double, 3 RBI’s and 3 runs scored;
Woltemath was 2-for-2 with a
double, 2 RBI’s and a run scored;
Rutz was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI’s and
2 runs scored; Knudson was 1-for1 with 2 RBI’s and 2 runs scored;
senior Brittany Harris drove home
4 runs while going 1-for-2 with 3
runs scored; Ross was 1-for-2 with
a run scored and an RBI; Meraz
was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run
scored and Kaiser was 1-for-3 with
a run scored.
Rutz started the game on the
mound tossing 4 innings and
Magnusson worked the fifth to
close out the contest.
On Saturday the Lady Tigers
traveled to Strasburg to play in
another double-header against
Gunnison and Strasburg. Sterling
took on Gunnison in the opener
and rolled to another win in five
innings by an 11-1 score. Sterling
scored six runs in the fifth to put
the contest away.
Sterling had 9 hits in the contest,
led by Knudson who was 3-for-3
with 2 doubles, 4 RBI’s and 3 runs
scored. Ross had a double, 2 RBI’s
and a run scored; Szabo had an Sophomore Alexis Rutz dives safely into third base during Saturday's
RBI double and Petarde, Harris, sweep over Scottsbluff. (SPS Photo By Ken McDowell.)
Ross and Woltemath each had a
hit.
Rutz pitched 4 innings to pick
up the win and Magnusson once
again pitched the final frame.
The nightcap with Strasburg was
a key Patriot League game as the
Lady Tigers took on the defending
Class 3A state champs.
Strasburg senior Logan Losh
blanked the Lady Tigers by pitching
a two-hitter in a 7-0 victory over
Sterling
Rutz and Knudson had the only
Lady Tiger hits. Ross pitched 4
innings and Rutz and Magnusson
one each. Sterling stands at 4-1
overall and 1-1 in the league.
The Lady Tigers will play a
Patriot League double-header
Saturday at Lyons, beginning at
11 a.m. On Tuesday Sterling will
return home to take on Brush in a
Patriot League contest at 4 p.m.
If you can't make the game, we'll
take you there! Listen to live play
by play from top analysts!
KNNG
Fri., Aug 30 - 7 p.m.
Stratton Football at Fleming Wildcats
Sat., Aug 31 - 3:30 p.m.
Weldon Valley Volleyball at Caliche Lady Buffs
Tues., Sept. 3 - 7 p.m.
NJC Plainswomen Volleyball at Laramie County
KSTC
Thurs., Aug 29 - 6:30 p.m.
Sterling Lady Tiger Volleyball at Yuma
Fri., Aug. 30 - 7 p.m.
Sterling Tiger Football at Harrison
KNEC
Thurs., Aug 29 - 6:30 p.m.
Sterling Lady Tiger Volleyball at Yuma
Fri., Aug 30 - 7 p.m.
Deborah Korrey!
Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013 Page 33
Limon Football at Yuma
Sat., Aug 31 - 10 a.m./Noon
Yuma Softball at Akron