Sweep By Aquinas extends Spartans’ losing streak
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
The Emporia High softball team’s losing streak reached 13 games in a row after a pair of losses at St. Thomas Aquinas in a makeup doubleheader Friday.
EHS managed just four hits in Game One, losing 8-1, and three in the second game, dropping that one by a 6-0 score. The Spartans, who fell to 2-16 on the year, were playing a team that’s at the opposite end of what EHS has encountered this year; Aquinas is now 16-2.
“I think (their pitchers) are what I would consider a touch above average,” EHS coach Ray Owens said, “and then (they have) a really good defensive team behind them. Boy, they didn’t make mistakes. They move well, they make good, quick hands on the infield. Their throws were sharp and everything.”
Lexi Hileman had two of Emporia’s four hits in Game One, including a double; Hilary Heinrichs added another double, and Gabriella Bohrer had a single. Heinrichs had two more hits in the second game, and Hileman had one.
Owens said the Spartans suffered some instances of bad luck, such as when Heinrichs batted in the third inning of the second game with a runner on first. She hit a bullet to the Aquinas third baseman, who Owens said “caught it more with her gut than anything else,” then doubled the runner off first base.
“We had some bad breaks,” Owens said, “and in some of these games where we’re getting beat bad, you don’t stop and think about ’em. ...
“We had a couple of plays like that tonight (where we’d) hit the ball right on the nose and they’d go right at somebody.”
Cassandra Huth pitched Game One for the Spartans, walking four and striking out four and allowing six hits. Bohrer pitched Game Two, K’ing three and walking three. She gave up five hits.
“She pitched a good ballgame, one of her better ones,” Owens said. “We just didn’t give her any support.”
Emporia hosts Washburn Rural on Tuesday for the Spartans’ senior day to conclude the regular season.
Friday at St. Thomas Aquinas
Emporia 000 001 0 — 1 4 1
St. Thomas Aquinas 012 320 0 — 8 6 0
WP — White. LP — Huth.
2B — EHS: Hileman, Heinrichs; STA: Swinney, Jacquinat, Horn. 3B — STA: Piezuch.
Game Two
Emporia 000 000 0 — 0 3 3
St. Thomas Aquinas 220 002 x — 6 5 0
WP — Nill. LP — Bohrer.
3B — STA: Piezuch