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8th-ranked Regina ends WB softball season
by Norv and Mary Coblentz · Sports · July 13, 2017
The Bears faced eighth-ranked Regina at Iowa City July 6 and lost 6-0.
The Regals pitched their five-year player, Sarah Lehman, in their win.
“We played pretty well on defense, we only had one or two errors,” West Branch Head Coach Kaitlyn Mullarkey said. “When they got hits, they just placed them really well. We had too many walks and hit(s) by pitch. On offense, we just didn’t execute.
“We only got two runners to second base, and you can’t win a game when you don’t score.
“We had all the ability to play with this team, it just didn’t fall for us tonight.”
DaLana Kron worked the count full to lead off the top of the first and walked on the 11th pitch. But three strikeouts left her stranded.
Regina scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. The first batter reached on an error and advanced to second on another error. A sacrifice bunt was fielded by Nicki Henson and thrown to first baseman Kaylee Montgomery for the out. The runner advanced to third on the play. A walk put runners at the corners. A single to right field scored the runner at third. Another single to right field scored two more runs. The next batter bunted. Pitcher Kaiya Luneckas fielded the ball and threw to Montgomery at first for the second out. Luneckas got a strikeout, looking, to end the inning. But Regina had a 3-0 lead.
The Bears had a couple of base runners in the top of the second. Mackenzie Heise was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Chloe Pence reached on an error, and Heise moved to second base. A strikeout, a fielder’s choice force out at second, and another strikeout ended the half-inning.
In the bottom of the second, the first Regina batter was hit by a pitch. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice, and the lead runner was forced out at second base. The next batter flied out to Courtney Jarrett in right field. A grounder to right put runners at first and second. The next batter bounced out to Montgomery, who made the third out unassisted.
There was no score in the third inning. The Bears were retired in order on a pop out to the pitcher and two strikeouts.
Regina led off their half of the inning with a single to center field. The next batter walked. The next batter had a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third bases. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice. Lexie Peak fielded the ball and threw to Pence at catcher to get the runner out at home. The next batter hit the ball back to Luneckas in the circle. She threw to Montgomery at first for the third out.
Montgomery was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth inning, and she took second base on a passed ball. She was left stranded at second after three strikeouts.
Regina scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Bears switched pitchers to Hanna Tisinger. The first batter lined out to Tisinger who threw to Montgomery at first for the out. The next batter singled to center field. The next batter reached on an error. An infield single loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice got the runner at home, but two walks scored two runs. The next batter hit the ball to Tisinger, and she threw the ball to Montgomery for the third out. Regina had a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Bears were retired in order on a line out, a ground out, and a pop out.
Regina got a lead-off base on balls. A bunt was fielded by Pence and thrown to Montgomery for the first out. A single to center field put runners at the corners. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice. Peak fielded the ball and threw to Pence for the out at home. The next batter hit to the pitcher to end the inning.
Montgomery was hit by a pitch with two outs in the top of the sixth. The next batter was out to end the half-inning,
The first Regina batter in the sixth flied out to shallow left field, and Peak made the catch. The next batter grounded out to Peak, who threw to Montgomery for the second out. A base on balls and an error scored a run and put a runner on. A single up the middle put runners at first and second. The next out came on an interference call on the Regals.
Trailing by six runs, the Bears needed to score in the top of the seventh. Pence got an infield single. The next batter struck out. A double play ended the game.
“They’re fast, they’re young, they’re aggressive,” Regina Head Coach Jon Prottsman said of the Bears. “You beat teams like this by keeping the kids off the bases. We did a nice job with that. Defensively, we were OK, but hits have got to come more often.”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R
WB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Reg. 3 0 0 2 0 1 x 6
West Branch stats (unofficial): DaLana Kron 1 walk; Kaylee Montgomery 2 hits by pitch; Mackenzie Heise one hit by pitch; Chloe Pence 1 reach on error.
Regina stats: Emily Bonett 3-4, 1 run; Emma Corkery 2-3, 1 run; Jess Hunter 1-3, 2 runs, 1 stolen base, 1 walk; Sarah Lehman 2-4, 1 run, 1 stolen base; Katie Bracken 1-2, 3 RBIs, 2 walks; Taylor O’Conner 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base, 2 walks; Maeve Dunne 1-3, 1 walk. Pitching: Sarah Lehman pitched seven innings. She walked one and struck out 13.
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