North Miami pulls off triple play in softball win over Rochester

Playing without Rensberger, Heinzmann, Lady Zs commit 5 errors

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Aricyn Hunt had three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored, and Jordyn Hackworth went 2 for 2 with three walks and four runs scored to help the North Miami softball team beat Rochester 9-5 at Fansler Field Thursday.

Freshman Erika Raber allowed 10 hits and five runs while walking three and striking out seven to get the win, and her defense turned a triple play behind her to escape a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the fifth.

Ashley Sumpter-Music also had two hits and an RBI, and Victoria Masters, Jlynn Piercy, Ashtyn Halterman and Layla Hampton had one hit each for the Lady Warriors (4-0).

Sumpter-Music, Piercy and Zoey Sparks each contributed an RBI.

Aubrey Wilson had three hits and an RBI, and Darah Strasser and Gabby Medina had two hits each as part of the Lady Zs’ 10-hit attack. Strasser also had an RBI.

Emma Mathias, Jadyn Field and Makhia Harding had one hit each.

Rochester dropped to 4-3.

Brailyn Hunter, Mia Howdeshell and Emma Mathias all saw time in the circle due to sophomore Bria Rensberger’s finger injury that she suffered while hitting against Winamac two days earlier. Second baseman Mylee Heinzmann also missed the game due to a foot injury.

A frustrated coach Jim Coleman held a practice after the game and after North Miami left on their bus.

“We’re going to find nine players that are going to be ready to play, that are going to give us 100% when they step out onto the field, and right now, we’re searching for those nine,” Coleman said. “We have two that are going to be out until at least next Wednesday. We’re going to find some players that want to play that are willing to step up and go all out like we expect everyone to do every time we step on the field.”

Rochester trailed 4-2 going into the bottom of the fifth when Mathias, Wilson and Field led off with back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out.

Hunter then hit a soft liner over Raber’s head that Sparks caught at second base. She flipped to Hunt at shortstop to double off Wilson, and Hunt then threw to Sumpter-Music to retire Field and complete the 4-6-3 triple play.

As North Miami players celebrated as they ran off the field, Coleman noted the lack of focus in his players.

“We had two of our baserunners that did not pick up the ball off the bat,” Coleman said. “And I know (assistant) coach (David) Musselman is yelling, ‘Back, back.’ I’m yelling ‘back’ as well. And we have players that just – I don’t know if it’s lack of focus or what it is, but we are going to get it figured out.”

North Miami then added two unearned runs in the sixth thanks to three walks and two outfield errors that pushed the lead to 6-2.

Strasser’s RBI double in the bottom half cut the lead to 6-3, but Masters’ single with two on base was booted for an error that allowed two runs to score. Hunt followed with an RBI single to make it 9-3.

Mathias scored on an error, and Wilson scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh to complete the scoring.

“For us, it’s about our pitch selection,” Coleman said. “We are swinging at pitches that are above the chest. (Raber) did a nice job exposing that on us. The big momentum is for, one, the triple play, and two, we had two outs and nobody on, a fly ball to left field, who dropped it, and we gave up two, three runs there when we were right there.”

North Miami 9, Rochester 5

North Miami 102 012 3 – 9 11 3

Rochester 002 001 2 – 5 10 5

WP – Erika Raber (7 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)

LP – Brailyn Hunter (4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K)

2B – Gabby Medina (RHS), Darah Strasser (RHS)