ARGYLE - There is something about playing Pecatonica that brings out the best in Argyle junior Jenna Langmeier.
Langmeier went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three stolen bases to propel the Orioles to a 15-0 five-inning win over Pecatonica on Thursday.
"We have been rivals forever," Langmeier said. "Every time we win it's a little victory on the inside. We have been working so hard for this - to beat our rival."
Langmeier had a lot of help. Argyle senior Jessica Treuthardt tossed a three-hit shutout. She also went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple. She was just a home run short of hitting for the cycle.
"It's nice to be playing," Treuthardt said. "We don't mind the cold. We practice in it every day. Pec is always a big rival. It's always fun to play them in any sport."
Argyle (8-2, 3-1 Six Rivers East) erupted, batting around the order in a six-run second inning. Treuthardt singled and junior Hannah Saalsaa delivered an RBI double. Amber Dammen and Kayla Butler-Paulson each came through with clutch RBI singles to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. Pecatonica pitcher Julia Meyer walked two and Langmeier delivered an RBI single and Alysha Monahan had a key RBI single.
"We had some mental errors and physical errors," Pecatonica coach Chuck Meyer said. "We just have to keep plugging along and work on the little things.
Pecatonica (2-8, 1-2) had the lead-off runner on three of the five innings, but couldn't push across a run.
"We are getting better," Meyer said. "We just are not over the hill yet. There were some positives. The score doesn't show that."
The Orioles weren't done breaking the game open with a five-run third. Saalsaa reached on an error, and Dammen smoked an RBI double to left to give the Orioles a 7-0 lead. Meyer walked Paulson and hit Kari Fischer. Langmeier came through in the clutch again with an RBI single up the middle to give the Orioles a 9-0 lead. The Vikings then brought in junior Emily Scoville in to pitch in relief.
"You can't walk eight or nine, " Meyer said of Julia Meyer. "Sometimes you just have to make a change for change's sake. We seem to have untimely errors, and then the snowball gets rolling. Finding a way to give up two runs and not five runs would be a victory for us. Emily has done a good job for us this year, but she struggled a little bit today."
Paulson went 2-for-2 with three RBI including a two-run double in the fourth to give the Orioles a 13-0 lead. Fischer and Langmeier each added RBI doubles.
"We have worked really hard at being clean at everything," Langmeier said. "We have been doing a lot of hitting because we have had some struggles hitting. We have been working on waiting for the ball so it can get to us so we can get a good piece of it."
The Orioles turned in several solid defensive plays. Monahan at catcher threw two runners out at second base on sacrifice bunt attempts and picked off a runner at first base in the third. Treuthardt likes having a catcher like Monahan who can shut down running games.
"Alysha has a cannon," Treuthardt said. "She throws the ball well. Everyone is afraid to run on her. She throws it back to me 10 miles per hour faster than I throw it to her. She's intimidating."
Meyer said it's not often a catcher throws out two runners on bunts at second base.
"She (Monahan) has a really good arm," he said. "Hats off to Argyle. They are tough. You have to give credit where credit is due."
Langmeier went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three stolen bases to propel the Orioles to a 15-0 five-inning win over Pecatonica on Thursday.
"We have been rivals forever," Langmeier said. "Every time we win it's a little victory on the inside. We have been working so hard for this - to beat our rival."
Langmeier had a lot of help. Argyle senior Jessica Treuthardt tossed a three-hit shutout. She also went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple. She was just a home run short of hitting for the cycle.
"It's nice to be playing," Treuthardt said. "We don't mind the cold. We practice in it every day. Pec is always a big rival. It's always fun to play them in any sport."
Argyle (8-2, 3-1 Six Rivers East) erupted, batting around the order in a six-run second inning. Treuthardt singled and junior Hannah Saalsaa delivered an RBI double. Amber Dammen and Kayla Butler-Paulson each came through with clutch RBI singles to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. Pecatonica pitcher Julia Meyer walked two and Langmeier delivered an RBI single and Alysha Monahan had a key RBI single.
"We had some mental errors and physical errors," Pecatonica coach Chuck Meyer said. "We just have to keep plugging along and work on the little things.
Pecatonica (2-8, 1-2) had the lead-off runner on three of the five innings, but couldn't push across a run.
"We are getting better," Meyer said. "We just are not over the hill yet. There were some positives. The score doesn't show that."
The Orioles weren't done breaking the game open with a five-run third. Saalsaa reached on an error, and Dammen smoked an RBI double to left to give the Orioles a 7-0 lead. Meyer walked Paulson and hit Kari Fischer. Langmeier came through in the clutch again with an RBI single up the middle to give the Orioles a 9-0 lead. The Vikings then brought in junior Emily Scoville in to pitch in relief.
"You can't walk eight or nine, " Meyer said of Julia Meyer. "Sometimes you just have to make a change for change's sake. We seem to have untimely errors, and then the snowball gets rolling. Finding a way to give up two runs and not five runs would be a victory for us. Emily has done a good job for us this year, but she struggled a little bit today."
Paulson went 2-for-2 with three RBI including a two-run double in the fourth to give the Orioles a 13-0 lead. Fischer and Langmeier each added RBI doubles.
"We have worked really hard at being clean at everything," Langmeier said. "We have been doing a lot of hitting because we have had some struggles hitting. We have been working on waiting for the ball so it can get to us so we can get a good piece of it."
The Orioles turned in several solid defensive plays. Monahan at catcher threw two runners out at second base on sacrifice bunt attempts and picked off a runner at first base in the third. Treuthardt likes having a catcher like Monahan who can shut down running games.
"Alysha has a cannon," Treuthardt said. "She throws the ball well. Everyone is afraid to run on her. She throws it back to me 10 miles per hour faster than I throw it to her. She's intimidating."
Meyer said it's not often a catcher throws out two runners on bunts at second base.
"She (Monahan) has a really good arm," he said. "Hats off to Argyle. They are tough. You have to give credit where credit is due."
