MONTICELLO - In an early season Six Rivers East Conference showdown, Juda junior Amber Ramos made big pitches when she had to and sophomore Jessica Rackow provided the offensive fireworks in the Panthers' 5-1 win over Monticello.
Ramos pitched a complete game and limited the Ponies to just one run on five hits. She struck out16 and walked four.
"She's a hell of a pitcher," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said. "She has worked really hard to get to where she is. You hate to see her do it against your team. You like to see her doing it against other teams."
The Panthers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Juda junior Katlyn DeVoe singled to left and Ramos followed with an RBI single to give the Panthers a short lived 1-0 lead.
The Ponies (6-1, 1-1 Six Rivers East) answered in the bottom of the first. Monticello freshman Marissa Berg doubled to left field. Berg took third on a passed ball and scored when Juda catcher Megan Trotter overthrew third to tie the game at 1.
The Panthers (3-2, 1-0) bounced back to regain the lead in the second. Juda junior C.J. Dunwiddie reached on an error leading off the second. Rackow, who went 3 for 3 with two RBIs, singled. DeVoe then reached on an error and a run scored to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead. DeVoe reached on an error in the fourth and a run scored to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
"To tell you the truth she is our little secret," Juda coach Bill Davis said of Rackow. "We have been batting her in the No. 7 hole and she is hitting .700. They are not just bloop hits. She is making solid contact. Her work is really showing on the field. It's also nice that she has a lot of speed because she can get around the bases well."
Monticello committed an uncharacteristic four errors.
"We fell apart tonight," Garrison said of the Ponies' defense. "When you give teams extra outs you are not going to win many games. You can't do that against her (Ramos). She's too good."
The Ponies did have a couple of scoring chances against Ramos. With two outs in the third, Monticello senior Taylor Pfeuti singled and Ramos walked Claire Getzel. Ramos thwarted the threat by striking out Berg. In the fourth, Ramos walked Monticello's Tanya Smith and Jordyn Kubly reached on an infield single. Ramos struck out Desiree Marty and Maggie Edge reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with two outs. Ramos closed the door with a strikeout.
"We just couldn't get the big hit," Garrison said.
Ramos, who went 2 for 4, crushed a triple to center leading off the fourth. With two outs, Monticello pitcher Karlie Klossner hit C.J. Dunwiddie. Rackow then delivered a clutch two-run single up the middle that gave the Panthers a 5-1 lead.
DeVoe reached base three of the four times she batted. Garrison knew that keeping DeVoe off base would be key.
"She sets the table for them," Garrison said. "We have to keep her off the bases. She can go either way (as a switch hitter), is a good bunter and has great speed."
Davis is just happy to be back on the diamond playing after not playing for a week and a half.
"You can practice, practice, practice, which is what we have been doing," Davis said. "Until you are in game situations it's hard to simulate everything. Defensively, we were a little shaky. I knew Monticello was a good team that is well coached. I knew it would be a close game."
Ramos pitched a complete game and limited the Ponies to just one run on five hits. She struck out16 and walked four.
"She's a hell of a pitcher," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said. "She has worked really hard to get to where she is. You hate to see her do it against your team. You like to see her doing it against other teams."
The Panthers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Juda junior Katlyn DeVoe singled to left and Ramos followed with an RBI single to give the Panthers a short lived 1-0 lead.
The Ponies (6-1, 1-1 Six Rivers East) answered in the bottom of the first. Monticello freshman Marissa Berg doubled to left field. Berg took third on a passed ball and scored when Juda catcher Megan Trotter overthrew third to tie the game at 1.
The Panthers (3-2, 1-0) bounced back to regain the lead in the second. Juda junior C.J. Dunwiddie reached on an error leading off the second. Rackow, who went 3 for 3 with two RBIs, singled. DeVoe then reached on an error and a run scored to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead. DeVoe reached on an error in the fourth and a run scored to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
"To tell you the truth she is our little secret," Juda coach Bill Davis said of Rackow. "We have been batting her in the No. 7 hole and she is hitting .700. They are not just bloop hits. She is making solid contact. Her work is really showing on the field. It's also nice that she has a lot of speed because she can get around the bases well."
Monticello committed an uncharacteristic four errors.
"We fell apart tonight," Garrison said of the Ponies' defense. "When you give teams extra outs you are not going to win many games. You can't do that against her (Ramos). She's too good."
The Ponies did have a couple of scoring chances against Ramos. With two outs in the third, Monticello senior Taylor Pfeuti singled and Ramos walked Claire Getzel. Ramos thwarted the threat by striking out Berg. In the fourth, Ramos walked Monticello's Tanya Smith and Jordyn Kubly reached on an infield single. Ramos struck out Desiree Marty and Maggie Edge reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with two outs. Ramos closed the door with a strikeout.
"We just couldn't get the big hit," Garrison said.
Ramos, who went 2 for 4, crushed a triple to center leading off the fourth. With two outs, Monticello pitcher Karlie Klossner hit C.J. Dunwiddie. Rackow then delivered a clutch two-run single up the middle that gave the Panthers a 5-1 lead.
DeVoe reached base three of the four times she batted. Garrison knew that keeping DeVoe off base would be key.
"She sets the table for them," Garrison said. "We have to keep her off the bases. She can go either way (as a switch hitter), is a good bunter and has great speed."
Davis is just happy to be back on the diamond playing after not playing for a week and a half.
"You can practice, practice, practice, which is what we have been doing," Davis said. "Until you are in game situations it's hard to simulate everything. Defensively, we were a little shaky. I knew Monticello was a good team that is well coached. I knew it would be a close game."
