April 9, 2015 at 1:01 p.m.
Dodgers get by Highland in opener
The game was the third of the season for the Cardinals while it was the first time out for he Dodgers.
"The game didn't realy go like I expected and certainly was a pleasant surprise," said Dodgeville coach Gene Van Dyck. "Highland was coming in with what I expected to be an excellent, experienced team wth really good pitching, defense and hitting. And that's exactly what they showed up with. Further. they had already played two games and we were locked indoors by the snow and were just coming off of spring break duriing which we had limited practices."
The Dodgers struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first keyed by a Karley Ross single, a Nicole Jones walk, two passed balls and a wild pitch.
They scored once in the fifth on a Ross strikeout, but reaching on a catcher's error which was followed by a groundout by Kelsey Prochaska.
Highland tallied their first run in the fourth when Brenna Bomkamp doubled and trotted home on a sharp single to right by Shyann Dailey.
They tied the contest in the fifth when BaileeRose walked and an oufield error plus Bomkamp's single plated two runs.
The Dodgers scored three times in the sixt as Ashley Citwood and Hannah Sigg both singled, Jordy Alfred sacrificed both runners and Kara Crowley was safe on an error. Allison Dougherty then doubled and Ross singled for the three runs.
Dodger hurler Nicole Jones gave up one run in the seventh on an error and Mackenzie Drury's double, ut coaxed two groundouts and had one strikeout to retire the side.
Prochaska worked the first four frames for the Dodgers striking out three without a walk. She gave up one unearned run on six hits.
Jones got the win in relief allowing three runs on four hits with one strikeout and three walks. She didn't allow an earned run.
Ross and Citwood both had two hits wile Jones, Dougherty and Sigg had one each.
Karen McMannes worked two inning for the Cardinals. She have up two runs on two hits while striking out two and walking one. She didnt allow an earned run.
Bailee Rose ook the loss going the final four frames. She struck out seven, walked one and gave up four runs on five hits. Two of her runs were earned.
Bomkamp had three of her team's 10 his while McMannes and Drury boh had a pair. Rose, Jessica Kosharek and Daley each had one safety.
Van Dyck went on saying, "I expected that we are going to be a good defensive club but that the lack of outdoor practice and this being our first game that we'd have quite a bit of trouble defensively. Also with our lack of varsity experience, that it would probably be quite a bit later in the year before we really started to hit. I was certainly wrong. Defensively, we made a few mistakes but overall we were solid with Karly Ross having an outstanding game at 3rd. base and Alicia Benson making a great play on a line drive in right field.
"Highland hit the ball well throughout the game but our pitchers didn't walk batters, didn't have any wild pitches and the defense came up with big plays when we needed them. Allison Dougherty caught an outstanding game with no passed balls.
"What surprised me most was how we performed at the plate. We swung at very few bad pitches and only went down looking at a called 3rd. strike twice. Really though what was most surprising was how well we hit the ball with 5 different players collecting hits led by Ashley Chitwood and Karley Ross with 2 hits apiece. The big blow was Allison Dougherty's 2 rbi double in the bottom of the 6th. to put the game away.
"Both pitchers threw well with Kelsey issuing only 1 walk, striking out 3 and yielding only 1 run in her 4 innings of work.
"Friday we go to Barneveld always a tough challenge and then Saturday a 2 game tournament at Cuba City. I guess we'll find out pretty quickly how good we are this early in the year."
