JUDA - Junior pitcher Nicki Becker tossed a two-hit shutout to lead the Juda-Albany softball team to a 2-0 win over Parkview in a WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal win on Tuesday.
Becker pitched a complete game to get the win and allowed just one runner to reach second base. She struck out six and had a perfect game going for four innings.
"She (Becker) handled the pressure situations so well," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "It was a really solid pitching performance by her. She was in command of all of her pitches. She has been on the last couple of games. She didn't have as many strikeouts as she sometimes does. That's because we were pitching for ground balls."
Juda-Albany senior Alexis Goecks lined a single to right in the fourth. She stole second and senior Chelsea Burkhalter moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Sara Jordan then laid down a bunt for a hit. With the Vikings looking back Goecks at third, Jordan raced all the way to second. Senior Sayde McDermott then delivered a two-run single to left to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
"She's been doing it all year," Davis said of McDermott coming up with big hits. "The most impressive part is she was down 0-2 in the at-bat. It was a heck of a battle and a great job of hitting by her."
It was all the run support Becker would need: Becker went 2-for-2 and Jordan was 2-for-3.
With the win, Juda-Albany (24-2) advances to the sectional championship game where the Panthers will play Iowa-Grant at 5 p.m. Thursday in Darlington.
"They (Iowa-Grant have been ranked close where we have been this year," Davis said. "I usually don't look at the rankings much. When you get to this point every game will be tough and it will be a good battle. They (Iowa-Grant) have had a great season. They won the SWAL which is a decent conference. I'm really looking forward to the test."
Becker pitched a complete game to get the win and allowed just one runner to reach second base. She struck out six and had a perfect game going for four innings.
"She (Becker) handled the pressure situations so well," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "It was a really solid pitching performance by her. She was in command of all of her pitches. She has been on the last couple of games. She didn't have as many strikeouts as she sometimes does. That's because we were pitching for ground balls."
Juda-Albany senior Alexis Goecks lined a single to right in the fourth. She stole second and senior Chelsea Burkhalter moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Sara Jordan then laid down a bunt for a hit. With the Vikings looking back Goecks at third, Jordan raced all the way to second. Senior Sayde McDermott then delivered a two-run single to left to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
"She's been doing it all year," Davis said of McDermott coming up with big hits. "The most impressive part is she was down 0-2 in the at-bat. It was a heck of a battle and a great job of hitting by her."
It was all the run support Becker would need: Becker went 2-for-2 and Jordan was 2-for-3.
With the win, Juda-Albany (24-2) advances to the sectional championship game where the Panthers will play Iowa-Grant at 5 p.m. Thursday in Darlington.
"They (Iowa-Grant have been ranked close where we have been this year," Davis said. "I usually don't look at the rankings much. When you get to this point every game will be tough and it will be a good battle. They (Iowa-Grant) have had a great season. They won the SWAL which is a decent conference. I'm really looking forward to the test."
