JOHNSON CREEK - Star pitcher Nicki Becker came down with the flu on Monday, and on Tuesday just didn't have her "stuff."
"She just wasn't herself," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said after his team's 7-1 loss to Johnson Creek. "Last year she had 18 strikeouts."
Becker, an all-state selection a year ago after leading the Panthers to their first-ever state title, finished Tuesday's game with seven strikeouts and six walks in six innings. She allowed seven hits and five earned runs.
As a team the Panthers mustered up only three hits and four walks. They also struck out seven times.
"Offensively we had too many strikeouts. We went down looking five times, and three of those were with runners in scoring position. We need to work on that," Davis said. "Defensively we were OK, though."
Johnson Creek took a 1-0 lead after the first inning and dropped four-spot on the Panthers in the third to take a commanding 5-1 advantage.
Juda-Albany next plays April 6 against Burlington Catholic Central in Albany.
Brodhead 7, Whitewater 2
BRODHEAD - Hannah Myhre had three hits and one RBI to lead the Brodhead softball team to a 7-2 win over Whitewater Tuesday.
Brodhead (1-1, 1-0 Rock Valley) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to roll to the win. The Cardinals pounded out 11 hits. Brodhead's Shelby Moyer and Caitlin Novy each had two hits. Novy also had two RBI.
Brodhead senior Azzy Steiner pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up two runs on three hits. Steiner struck out nine and walked five.
"She just wasn't herself," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said after his team's 7-1 loss to Johnson Creek. "Last year she had 18 strikeouts."
Becker, an all-state selection a year ago after leading the Panthers to their first-ever state title, finished Tuesday's game with seven strikeouts and six walks in six innings. She allowed seven hits and five earned runs.
As a team the Panthers mustered up only three hits and four walks. They also struck out seven times.
"Offensively we had too many strikeouts. We went down looking five times, and three of those were with runners in scoring position. We need to work on that," Davis said. "Defensively we were OK, though."
Johnson Creek took a 1-0 lead after the first inning and dropped four-spot on the Panthers in the third to take a commanding 5-1 advantage.
Juda-Albany next plays April 6 against Burlington Catholic Central in Albany.
Brodhead 7, Whitewater 2
BRODHEAD - Hannah Myhre had three hits and one RBI to lead the Brodhead softball team to a 7-2 win over Whitewater Tuesday.
Brodhead (1-1, 1-0 Rock Valley) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to roll to the win. The Cardinals pounded out 11 hits. Brodhead's Shelby Moyer and Caitlin Novy each had two hits. Novy also had two RBI.
Brodhead senior Azzy Steiner pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up two runs on three hits. Steiner struck out nine and walked five.
