EDGERTON - Erika Stampfli and Amanda Pickel took turns helping each other out as Brodhead rallied to a 4-2 Rock Valley Conference softball victory over Edgerton at Race Track Park Tuesday evening.
Stampfli capped a three-run inning and put the starter Pickel on the hook for the win with a two-out RBI single that gave the Cardinals (10-2, 8-0 Rock Valley South) their first lead, 3-2, in the top of the sixth inning. Then, Pickel helped Stampfli pin down the save by doubling home an insurance run with two down in the top of the seventh.
"The game plan was I wanted to see how far we would get with Amanda, because Erika's back has been bothering her," Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said of his ailing ace. "She wasn't coming in unless we grabbed a lead somewhere. When we did, our two pitchers made me look like a genius."
Brodhead's leadoff batter, junior Tia Collins, single-handedly cut a 2-0 deficit in half in the top of the sixth. After beating out an infield single to second base, she stole second and third before darting home when Edgerton catcher Monica Richardson's throw to third skipped down the left-field line.
Edgerton (5-3, 5-1 Rock Valley North) starter Caitlin Johnson retired the next two Cardinals before Jana Covert skied a double that Tia Cleveland misjudged in right field. Lefty junior Mariah Mohns chopped an RBI single into right field to tie the game and went to second on the throw home. Then Stampfli laced her third hit in as many at-bats on a line to right field to plate Mohns.
"It gave me a little extra confidence," Stampfli said.
And did it show. Stampfli mowed down two Crimson Tide batters with her fastball in the bottom of the eighth, and Covert caught a fly ball off Cleveland's bat, running full speed and crossing over the right-field line into foul territory.
Collins bunted her way on in the top of the seventh and quickly swiped second base. Then Pickel wasted no time driving her in as she spun on the first pitch she saw, creaming it into the left-field corner.
"As soon as I saw it leave her hand, it was coming right down the middle; I knew that was the one," Pickel said.
Mohns also made a slick leaping catch with two hands and two outs in the third to rob Meggie Schmidt and save a run.
After striking out Kelsey Lovell with a full-count fastball in the seventh, Stampfli got Morgan McCue looking to keep the Cards unbeaten in the Rock Valley and send the Tide to its first league loss - one night after getting the win in a 3-1 victory over East Troy Monday night.
"If you told me that after prom that we'd go out and beat East Troy and Edgerton on the road ... I would've said I'd take it," Krupke said, laughing.
Krupke was ecstatic Pickel allowed just two runs against the Tide, which averaged a shade over 10 runs per game in their first seven contests.
Pickel allowed just five hits while striking out three and walking none.
"I've never seen a freshman pitch in such a big game, bat second and play third, do everything you ask of her," Krupke said.
Stampfli capped a three-run inning and put the starter Pickel on the hook for the win with a two-out RBI single that gave the Cardinals (10-2, 8-0 Rock Valley South) their first lead, 3-2, in the top of the sixth inning. Then, Pickel helped Stampfli pin down the save by doubling home an insurance run with two down in the top of the seventh.
"The game plan was I wanted to see how far we would get with Amanda, because Erika's back has been bothering her," Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said of his ailing ace. "She wasn't coming in unless we grabbed a lead somewhere. When we did, our two pitchers made me look like a genius."
Brodhead's leadoff batter, junior Tia Collins, single-handedly cut a 2-0 deficit in half in the top of the sixth. After beating out an infield single to second base, she stole second and third before darting home when Edgerton catcher Monica Richardson's throw to third skipped down the left-field line.
Edgerton (5-3, 5-1 Rock Valley North) starter Caitlin Johnson retired the next two Cardinals before Jana Covert skied a double that Tia Cleveland misjudged in right field. Lefty junior Mariah Mohns chopped an RBI single into right field to tie the game and went to second on the throw home. Then Stampfli laced her third hit in as many at-bats on a line to right field to plate Mohns.
"It gave me a little extra confidence," Stampfli said.
And did it show. Stampfli mowed down two Crimson Tide batters with her fastball in the bottom of the eighth, and Covert caught a fly ball off Cleveland's bat, running full speed and crossing over the right-field line into foul territory.
Collins bunted her way on in the top of the seventh and quickly swiped second base. Then Pickel wasted no time driving her in as she spun on the first pitch she saw, creaming it into the left-field corner.
"As soon as I saw it leave her hand, it was coming right down the middle; I knew that was the one," Pickel said.
Mohns also made a slick leaping catch with two hands and two outs in the third to rob Meggie Schmidt and save a run.
After striking out Kelsey Lovell with a full-count fastball in the seventh, Stampfli got Morgan McCue looking to keep the Cards unbeaten in the Rock Valley and send the Tide to its first league loss - one night after getting the win in a 3-1 victory over East Troy Monday night.
"If you told me that after prom that we'd go out and beat East Troy and Edgerton on the road ... I would've said I'd take it," Krupke said, laughing.
Krupke was ecstatic Pickel allowed just two runs against the Tide, which averaged a shade over 10 runs per game in their first seven contests.
Pickel allowed just five hits while striking out three and walking none.
"I've never seen a freshman pitch in such a big game, bat second and play third, do everything you ask of her," Krupke said.
