The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Flying Dutch split with league champs
Late offensive surge lifts Manchester in nightcap
By Ed Patino, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 17, 2007
It took until the final two innings for the bats to come around, but it was worth the wait for the Manchester varsity softball team.
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With timely hitting to compliment strong pitching and defense, the Flying Dutch pulled away for a 4-0 victory over the Addison Panthers in the nightcap of Friday's Cascades Conference doubleheader.
The win was a nice response after the Dutch were handed a 4-1 loss to defending Cascades Conference Champions Addison in the opener.
Manchester (5-15, 2-9 Cascades) also snapped a five-game losing streak dating to April 30.
The teams played to a scoreless tie through the first four and a half innings of the nightcap as pitching and defense controlled the game. Manchester's defensive woes disappeared, as the Dutch played an error-free game and held the Panthers to three hits.
"This was a very good win," Manchester coach Nikole Fether said. "We made no errors, which this season is phenomenal for us. That's how we know we can play, but we need to get more consistency."
Manchester broke in the bottom of the fifth inning as Emily Johnson drove in Jenny Stautz with a flyout. After holding Addison scoreless in the top of the sixth, the Dutch gained some breathing room with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Julie Fielder made it 2-0 with a RBI double that scored Erin Robinson, then Roxanne Rickert came home on Stephanie Preston's flyout. Stautz delivered a RBI single later in the frame, scoring Fielder and making it 4-0.
The Panthers got runners to second and third base in the top of the seventh, but Manchester worked its way out of the jam for the victory.
Rickert kept the Panthers off balance from the circle. The freshman went the distance for her first career pitching win, scattering three hits and striking out four.
"Roxanne was a starter earlier in the year but injured her ankle," Fether said. "She pitched wonderful considering that she hasn't thrown in so long."
Stautz went 2-for-3 at the plate with a RBI and run scored to lead the Dutch. Robinson was 2-for-3 with a run, while Emily Lobbestael finished 2-for-3. Fielder recorded a hit, RBI and run scored and Preston had a hit and RBI for Manchester.
Brandi Valdez went 2-for-3 to lead the Panthers, while Shaneh Halliwill had Addison's other hit. Melissa Beteau was charged with the pitching loss, allowing four runs on nine hits in six innings.
The opener saw the Panthers score four runs over a three-inning span and ride the pitching of Ashley Nieto to the win. Halliwill opened the scoring in the second inning with a RBI double that scored Beteau. An inning later, Valdez came home on a passed ball and Cammie Burke scored on a wild pitch, making it 3-0. Nieto extended the lead in the fourth when she scored Amanda Witte with a double.
After going down in order in the fifth, the Dutch finally solved Nieto in the sixth. Hannah Caszatt delivered an RBI double, scoring Shanel Mullins and breaking the shutout, but Manchester was held at bay after that.
Along with Caszatt's double, the Dutch had hits from Stautz, Preston and Johnson. Alex Fairbanks took the pitching loss despite scattering five hits and striking out four while going the distance.
Nieto and Halliwill each went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead Addison, while Beteau finished 1-for-3 with a RBI and run scored. Nieto scattered four hits and struck out two while going the distance for the pitching win.
"Nieto has been a starter for four years and is a really good pitcher," Fether said.
Wednesday's game at East Jackson took place after the newspaper's deadline. The Dutch are scheduled to host Michigan Center today.
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