NEW GLARUS - Since third grade, Riley Parker has envisioned playing high school softball. On Monday, the New Glarus freshman couldn't help but be anxious about the season-opener against Evansville.
Parker went 1-for-2 with a single up the middle in the fourth inning of a 10-0 five-inning season-opening loss to Evansville. Parker is one of six freshmen and sophomores looking to turn around a New Glarus program that has five wins in the last six years.
"I was a little nervous for today, being a freshman playing my first varsity game," said Parker, who had one of the Glarner Knights' two hits. "It's a little bit more fast-paced, but it's all good. I think as a team we will grow in confidence and we will do better hitting."
New Glarus sophomore Maya Kramer got off to a good start pitching, putting her team in a good position to get out of the first inning unscathed. However, an error allowed Evansville's Kyla Litscheim to reach first base.
Evansville's Kelsee Cashore and Litsheim then both moved up into scoring position on a double steal. Kramer looked like she would wiggle out of the jam by striking out Evansville's Melanie Mason and then inducing Gabby Sunness to hit a chopper to third.
New Glarus third baseman Lydia Sprecher made a nice play fielding the ball moving towards shortstop, but she just missed a swipe tag on Cashore running to third and a run scored to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead.
"She (Kramer) is definitely so strong mentally," New Glarus coach Hannah Grossen said. "That is what is great about her. Those errors don't affect the way she was pitching. She is a strong kid and I think we will only see improvement from her."
Kramer pitched four innings and gave up 10 runs, but just two earned runs. She walked seven, hit two batters and struck out four. Six of the nine batters Kramer walked or hit came around to score.
The Blue Devils went 3-for-10 hitting with runners in scoring position, but broke the game open with a seven-run third. New Glarus committed three errors and the Blue Devils scored three runs in the third on wild pitches.
"This is just our second time outside this year and we haven't practiced every situation yet," Grossen said. "There is only so much you can do in the gym, but it's not the same. I have a lot of young, talented and athletic girls. We can only go up from here."
Mason helped the Blue Devils start the big third inning with a lead off walk. Evansville's Becka Cronin then reached on an error. The big blow in the third came on Sunness' two-run double to right that gave the Blue Devils a 4-0 lead.
"I think a lot of is they got down on themselves and we couldn't make a play," Grossen said. "A couple of those wild pitches should have been outs. I think we need better communication and we have to improve our mental game of knowing what to do with the ball. Some of this is basics we are still working on. We are working out the kinks."
New Glarus junior Noelle Austin finished 1-for-2 with a line drive single in the second. The Knights were limited to just two baserunners in the game.
Evansville's Cronin pitched four shutout innings. She gave up just two hits and struck out four. Cashore came in and pitched a perfect fifth striking out the side.
There are improvements Grossen saw in the first game she is excited about. New Glarus sophomore catcher Grace Moen threw out two runners trying to steal. Sophomore teammate Ashley Judd made a running catch on a sinking line drive in the fourth that robbed Evansville's Ally Krueger of an extra-base hit.
"We are a young team really new to softball," Grossen said. "I think it was a ton better than our first game last year. A lot of them have the talent and ability to execute. It's just getting that confidence. We still have a ton to work on."
Parker went 1-for-2 with a single up the middle in the fourth inning of a 10-0 five-inning season-opening loss to Evansville. Parker is one of six freshmen and sophomores looking to turn around a New Glarus program that has five wins in the last six years.
"I was a little nervous for today, being a freshman playing my first varsity game," said Parker, who had one of the Glarner Knights' two hits. "It's a little bit more fast-paced, but it's all good. I think as a team we will grow in confidence and we will do better hitting."
New Glarus sophomore Maya Kramer got off to a good start pitching, putting her team in a good position to get out of the first inning unscathed. However, an error allowed Evansville's Kyla Litscheim to reach first base.
Evansville's Kelsee Cashore and Litsheim then both moved up into scoring position on a double steal. Kramer looked like she would wiggle out of the jam by striking out Evansville's Melanie Mason and then inducing Gabby Sunness to hit a chopper to third.
New Glarus third baseman Lydia Sprecher made a nice play fielding the ball moving towards shortstop, but she just missed a swipe tag on Cashore running to third and a run scored to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead.
"She (Kramer) is definitely so strong mentally," New Glarus coach Hannah Grossen said. "That is what is great about her. Those errors don't affect the way she was pitching. She is a strong kid and I think we will only see improvement from her."
Kramer pitched four innings and gave up 10 runs, but just two earned runs. She walked seven, hit two batters and struck out four. Six of the nine batters Kramer walked or hit came around to score.
The Blue Devils went 3-for-10 hitting with runners in scoring position, but broke the game open with a seven-run third. New Glarus committed three errors and the Blue Devils scored three runs in the third on wild pitches.
"This is just our second time outside this year and we haven't practiced every situation yet," Grossen said. "There is only so much you can do in the gym, but it's not the same. I have a lot of young, talented and athletic girls. We can only go up from here."
Mason helped the Blue Devils start the big third inning with a lead off walk. Evansville's Becka Cronin then reached on an error. The big blow in the third came on Sunness' two-run double to right that gave the Blue Devils a 4-0 lead.
"I think a lot of is they got down on themselves and we couldn't make a play," Grossen said. "A couple of those wild pitches should have been outs. I think we need better communication and we have to improve our mental game of knowing what to do with the ball. Some of this is basics we are still working on. We are working out the kinks."
New Glarus junior Noelle Austin finished 1-for-2 with a line drive single in the second. The Knights were limited to just two baserunners in the game.
Evansville's Cronin pitched four shutout innings. She gave up just two hits and struck out four. Cashore came in and pitched a perfect fifth striking out the side.
There are improvements Grossen saw in the first game she is excited about. New Glarus sophomore catcher Grace Moen threw out two runners trying to steal. Sophomore teammate Ashley Judd made a running catch on a sinking line drive in the fourth that robbed Evansville's Ally Krueger of an extra-base hit.
"We are a young team really new to softball," Grossen said. "I think it was a ton better than our first game last year. A lot of them have the talent and ability to execute. It's just getting that confidence. We still have a ton to work on."
