JUDA - Pink is the color of excitement, confidence, gratitude, sympathy and admiration. On Thursday, the Juda Panthers softball team proudly showed that on personalized jerseys in their "Strike Out Cancer" game win, 6-0, over Black Hawk.
"Everything went great," Juda co-coach Pam Green said. "There was a lot of support from a lot of people and the kids played a fantastic game."
In honor of three current students, including junior Brandon Broshous, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and 2007 graduate Kristen Bechtolt, each strikeout in the game was represented in the sky by the release of a balloon.
Good news for Panther fans and cancer victim supporters. Freshman hurler Amber Ramos struck out 14 Warriors, including three in the first inning.
"She took command of the game," Juda co-coach Bill Davis said. "And it helps the defense, too, because each player thinks that they maybe will have to make just one play because (Ramos) is probably going to get two strikeouts."
Black Hawk starter Kim Wellnitz returned the favor, striking out two in the bottom of the first. Wellnitz wouldn't send off another balloon until the fourth inning, and finished with seven Ks.
Through three innings, Ramos recorded eight strikeouts and held Black Hawk to just two hits.
"We haven't been able to get very many hits the last few games," Warriors skipper Roger Jackson said. "We had chances early, and it changes the game completely if you take a 2-0 lead."
Instead, Ramos struck out Wellnitz with runners on second and third on a full count to end the threat.
In the bottom half of the inning, Juda worked its way onto the scoreboard. Wellnitz walked Aly Pierce and Tabitha Theiler. During Katlyn DeVoe's at-bat, Pierce tried to score on a wild pitch, but was tagged out on the flip throw to Wellnitz from Black Hawk catcher Savannah Kaster.
Despite the out, Theiler moved all the way to third base. After walking, DeVoe sprinted to second, getting called out on the steal, but the heads-up move allowed Theiler to come in for the score.
In the fourth, Juda added another run. With one out, Erika Kundert walked and stole second. C.J. Dunwiddie then ripped an RBI-double into the outfield.
"We hit the ball and we played defense. Those are the things you have to do to win," Davis said.
Juda went crazy at the plate in the fifth inning. DeVoe led off with a single to the outfield, and Tara Allen drove her in moments later on a hit to the gap in right center. On the next pitch, Megan Trotter roped a double down the left-field line.
Ramos helped her own cause, sending the next pitch back up the middle, bringing in a run to put the score at 4-0. Kundert went through a long at-bat before slicing a 3-1 pitch back up the middle to score the final two runs.
"We've worked on hitting after swinging at pitches out of the zone last weekend," Davis said.
Juda finished with eight hits and four walks off Wellnitz. Black Hawk had only three hits off Ramos, but managed to walk seven times.
"You can't win if you don't score. And if we can't get a base hit, we're not going to do anything," Jackson said.
"She has come along tremendously," Davis said of Ramos. "We're trying to get her walks down and have her throwing strikes."
Allen and Ramos both had two hits for the Panthers.
According to Green, the timeline leading up to the game - the fundraising, the pep rally prior to the game, and the jerseys - allowed the kids to have a better awareness of cancer, its victims, and how to come together to cope.
"It's really given the kids an awareness of cancer and how it affects other people and our community. It's opened up their eyes a little bit," she said.
Juda travels to New Glarus tonight for a second "Strikeout Cancer" game, where the jerseys once again will be in full effect.
"Everything went great," Juda co-coach Pam Green said. "There was a lot of support from a lot of people and the kids played a fantastic game."
In honor of three current students, including junior Brandon Broshous, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and 2007 graduate Kristen Bechtolt, each strikeout in the game was represented in the sky by the release of a balloon.
Good news for Panther fans and cancer victim supporters. Freshman hurler Amber Ramos struck out 14 Warriors, including three in the first inning.
"She took command of the game," Juda co-coach Bill Davis said. "And it helps the defense, too, because each player thinks that they maybe will have to make just one play because (Ramos) is probably going to get two strikeouts."
Black Hawk starter Kim Wellnitz returned the favor, striking out two in the bottom of the first. Wellnitz wouldn't send off another balloon until the fourth inning, and finished with seven Ks.
Through three innings, Ramos recorded eight strikeouts and held Black Hawk to just two hits.
"We haven't been able to get very many hits the last few games," Warriors skipper Roger Jackson said. "We had chances early, and it changes the game completely if you take a 2-0 lead."
Instead, Ramos struck out Wellnitz with runners on second and third on a full count to end the threat.
In the bottom half of the inning, Juda worked its way onto the scoreboard. Wellnitz walked Aly Pierce and Tabitha Theiler. During Katlyn DeVoe's at-bat, Pierce tried to score on a wild pitch, but was tagged out on the flip throw to Wellnitz from Black Hawk catcher Savannah Kaster.
Despite the out, Theiler moved all the way to third base. After walking, DeVoe sprinted to second, getting called out on the steal, but the heads-up move allowed Theiler to come in for the score.
In the fourth, Juda added another run. With one out, Erika Kundert walked and stole second. C.J. Dunwiddie then ripped an RBI-double into the outfield.
"We hit the ball and we played defense. Those are the things you have to do to win," Davis said.
Juda went crazy at the plate in the fifth inning. DeVoe led off with a single to the outfield, and Tara Allen drove her in moments later on a hit to the gap in right center. On the next pitch, Megan Trotter roped a double down the left-field line.
Ramos helped her own cause, sending the next pitch back up the middle, bringing in a run to put the score at 4-0. Kundert went through a long at-bat before slicing a 3-1 pitch back up the middle to score the final two runs.
"We've worked on hitting after swinging at pitches out of the zone last weekend," Davis said.
Juda finished with eight hits and four walks off Wellnitz. Black Hawk had only three hits off Ramos, but managed to walk seven times.
"You can't win if you don't score. And if we can't get a base hit, we're not going to do anything," Jackson said.
"She has come along tremendously," Davis said of Ramos. "We're trying to get her walks down and have her throwing strikes."
Allen and Ramos both had two hits for the Panthers.
According to Green, the timeline leading up to the game - the fundraising, the pep rally prior to the game, and the jerseys - allowed the kids to have a better awareness of cancer, its victims, and how to come together to cope.
"It's really given the kids an awareness of cancer and how it affects other people and our community. It's opened up their eyes a little bit," she said.
Juda travels to New Glarus tonight for a second "Strikeout Cancer" game, where the jerseys once again will be in full effect.
