BRODHEAD - The Cardinals are coming off of a week where they played 10 games in just over a week. This week, Brodhead's softball team is scheduled to play another five. That is likely to take a toll on all-conference pitcher Azzy Steiner, so head coach Tommy Meier tried to find an alternative for Monday's nonconference game against Belleville.
"Last week we had 10 games in eight days so we were trying to give her a little bit of rest," Meier said. "We have five more games this week, so we thought if we could get through tonight then we've got conference games Tuesday and Thursday and a doubleheader on Saturday. We thought if we could have someone eat up some innings that would help Azzy go the rest of the week."
The plan backfired in a sense, and the Cardinals lost to Belleville 6-5 despite a 3-run seventh that had the game-tying run at second base.
"It's a very resilient group," Meier said. "When they get down they feel confident they can come back and score some runs. We just came up a little bit short, but we didn't go down without a fight."
Freshman Nataley Bump got the start on the mound and struggled in the first inning. Back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly to centerfield put the Wildcats ahead 1-0, and three walks and an error later the inning finally came to an end and Brodhead trailed 3-0.
Bump settled down on the hill for a bit after that, allowing just a walk in an otherwise clean second inning, and escaped a pair of walks in the third to keep the score at 3-0.
Brodhead's offense wasn't much of a help. Belleville starting pitcher Cassidy Heller sat down the Cardinals 1-2-3 in each of the first three innings.
"We came out a little flat. I don't know what it was, but we didn't have the energy that we normally do," Meier said.
Bump allowed a single and then threw away a ball on a sacrifice bunt attempt to put two runners on in the top of the fourth. Meier decided to bring in his ace from the outfield. Steiner saw mixed results in the inning and the game. She allowed five hits and three walks in four innings of work but made 9 of 12 outs via the "K" variety.
"It was a little weird," Steiner said of pitching in relief and not starting. "It was hard. I just got done pitching 10 games in eight days. I was trying to give myself a rest, and I could definitely tell out on the mound I wasn't myself - I usually don't walk people."
Belleville led 5-0 after the fourth, and that's when Brodhead's bats arrived. The Cardinals pecked away at Belleville's lead, plating a run in both the fourth and the fifth innings. Still missing was that one big hit, as Brodhead left three runners on in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
"(Brodhead) started timing (Heller) up," Belleville head coach Connie Wunschel said. "I thought maybe I should switch (pitchers), but you want to go with the one who is getting you there. And when you switch you don't know what's going to change. But she stuck in there and did good."
After Madison Ils struck out to open the bottom of the seventh with her team trailing 6-2, McKayla Hayes singled into right center to liven up the Cardinals' bench. Steiner then roped a double into the left center gap to put runners on second and third. McKenna Bump and Katie Goecks then added back-to-back RBI singles to bring the score to 6-4.
With runners at second and third, Whitney Gerber had an RBI groundout. That brought sophomore Hannah Myhre to the plate with the winning run in scoring position. Myhre nearly shot the moon on a towering pop fly into left field just inside the line, but Belleville outfielder Callie Everson brought in catch to end the game.
"We've got a mostly young team - mostly underclassmen are playing," Wunschel said. "Cassidy was on her game tonight. And when she's on her game the girls feel confident right behind her."
Steiner finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple and Goecks was 2-for-3 with a walk for the Cardinals. Heller was 3-for-4 for Belleville, while teammates Kori Rogers (2-for-4) and Jillian Michaels (2-for-4) also had multiple hits.
"We hit in the seventh inning. If we had just done that in the beginning of the game, I think we would have done just fine and could have won this easily," Steiner said. "I was feeling confident every time I went up there (to the plate). I just saw the ball out there and was ready to hit it."
Brodhead is back in action tonight at Evansville.
"Last week we had 10 games in eight days so we were trying to give her a little bit of rest," Meier said. "We have five more games this week, so we thought if we could get through tonight then we've got conference games Tuesday and Thursday and a doubleheader on Saturday. We thought if we could have someone eat up some innings that would help Azzy go the rest of the week."
The plan backfired in a sense, and the Cardinals lost to Belleville 6-5 despite a 3-run seventh that had the game-tying run at second base.
"It's a very resilient group," Meier said. "When they get down they feel confident they can come back and score some runs. We just came up a little bit short, but we didn't go down without a fight."
Freshman Nataley Bump got the start on the mound and struggled in the first inning. Back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly to centerfield put the Wildcats ahead 1-0, and three walks and an error later the inning finally came to an end and Brodhead trailed 3-0.
Bump settled down on the hill for a bit after that, allowing just a walk in an otherwise clean second inning, and escaped a pair of walks in the third to keep the score at 3-0.
Brodhead's offense wasn't much of a help. Belleville starting pitcher Cassidy Heller sat down the Cardinals 1-2-3 in each of the first three innings.
"We came out a little flat. I don't know what it was, but we didn't have the energy that we normally do," Meier said.
Bump allowed a single and then threw away a ball on a sacrifice bunt attempt to put two runners on in the top of the fourth. Meier decided to bring in his ace from the outfield. Steiner saw mixed results in the inning and the game. She allowed five hits and three walks in four innings of work but made 9 of 12 outs via the "K" variety.
"It was a little weird," Steiner said of pitching in relief and not starting. "It was hard. I just got done pitching 10 games in eight days. I was trying to give myself a rest, and I could definitely tell out on the mound I wasn't myself - I usually don't walk people."
Belleville led 5-0 after the fourth, and that's when Brodhead's bats arrived. The Cardinals pecked away at Belleville's lead, plating a run in both the fourth and the fifth innings. Still missing was that one big hit, as Brodhead left three runners on in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
"(Brodhead) started timing (Heller) up," Belleville head coach Connie Wunschel said. "I thought maybe I should switch (pitchers), but you want to go with the one who is getting you there. And when you switch you don't know what's going to change. But she stuck in there and did good."
After Madison Ils struck out to open the bottom of the seventh with her team trailing 6-2, McKayla Hayes singled into right center to liven up the Cardinals' bench. Steiner then roped a double into the left center gap to put runners on second and third. McKenna Bump and Katie Goecks then added back-to-back RBI singles to bring the score to 6-4.
With runners at second and third, Whitney Gerber had an RBI groundout. That brought sophomore Hannah Myhre to the plate with the winning run in scoring position. Myhre nearly shot the moon on a towering pop fly into left field just inside the line, but Belleville outfielder Callie Everson brought in catch to end the game.
"We've got a mostly young team - mostly underclassmen are playing," Wunschel said. "Cassidy was on her game tonight. And when she's on her game the girls feel confident right behind her."
Steiner finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple and Goecks was 2-for-3 with a walk for the Cardinals. Heller was 3-for-4 for Belleville, while teammates Kori Rogers (2-for-4) and Jillian Michaels (2-for-4) also had multiple hits.
"We hit in the seventh inning. If we had just done that in the beginning of the game, I think we would have done just fine and could have won this easily," Steiner said. "I was feeling confident every time I went up there (to the plate). I just saw the ball out there and was ready to hit it."
Brodhead is back in action tonight at Evansville.
