JUDA - Pecatonica graduate Kaci Cassidy looked forward to showcasing her talents in one more softball game at the Six Rivers Conference senior All-Star game Thursday night.
"I always like all-star games," said Cassidy, an East all-star. "It gives you a chance to play with everyone in the conference who is good. It's a lot different atmosphere."
The Six Rivers West All-Star team swept two five-inning games from the East beating them 12-0 and 13-1.
"When you look at the rosters their conference is stacked with seniors where in our conference it's not the case," Juda coach Bill Davis said, comparing the West with 15 all-stars to the East team, which he coaches, that featured 10.
Jeni Freiburger pitched a complete game two-hitter to lead the West to a shutout in the first game. Freiburger struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. The only hits the East had were singles from Barnevld's Kelly Mueller and Brooke Arneson.
Freiburger was cruising, retiring 12 straight batters before Arneson's single in the fifth.
The West jumped out to an early lead when Sara Carey, who was 2-for-4, doubled in the first. Natasha Smith, who was 2-for-2, then drove her in with a single. The West caught a break scoring two runs on an error. The East committed three errors in the first game. Chelsey Schobert also went 2-for-3 for the West.
"We kicked the ball around a little," Davis said. "It's expected. With the weather, we didn't get much of a chance to practice."
The East committed two errors in the second and Cassidy pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by striking out two batters. Cassidy gave up eight earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out eight and walked two.
The West put the game away with an eight-run fifth. Reba Keene delivered a two-run single and Carey smoked a two-run double to left field to give the West an 8-0 lead. The big blow in the fifth came on Nicole Ames' three-run inside-the-park home run.
Cassidy was excited to keep the game within striking distance before the West's offensive explosion in the fifth.
"It just shows that we can compete if we try," she said.
Davis understands the West made some changes hitting.
"I thought she threw excellent," Davis said of Cassidy. "I thought she kept the ball down for the most part. She got the ball up a little in that last inning. They are a good team too. They made some adjustments and put the ball in play."
Mueller pitched a complete game in the second game. The East had just two hits from Argyle's Kim Fischer and Arneson.
"It's the last game some of them will play," Davis said. "I just told them remember your senior years and maybe you can make some friendships out of it.
"I always like all-star games," said Cassidy, an East all-star. "It gives you a chance to play with everyone in the conference who is good. It's a lot different atmosphere."
The Six Rivers West All-Star team swept two five-inning games from the East beating them 12-0 and 13-1.
"When you look at the rosters their conference is stacked with seniors where in our conference it's not the case," Juda coach Bill Davis said, comparing the West with 15 all-stars to the East team, which he coaches, that featured 10.
Jeni Freiburger pitched a complete game two-hitter to lead the West to a shutout in the first game. Freiburger struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. The only hits the East had were singles from Barnevld's Kelly Mueller and Brooke Arneson.
Freiburger was cruising, retiring 12 straight batters before Arneson's single in the fifth.
The West jumped out to an early lead when Sara Carey, who was 2-for-4, doubled in the first. Natasha Smith, who was 2-for-2, then drove her in with a single. The West caught a break scoring two runs on an error. The East committed three errors in the first game. Chelsey Schobert also went 2-for-3 for the West.
"We kicked the ball around a little," Davis said. "It's expected. With the weather, we didn't get much of a chance to practice."
The East committed two errors in the second and Cassidy pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by striking out two batters. Cassidy gave up eight earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out eight and walked two.
The West put the game away with an eight-run fifth. Reba Keene delivered a two-run single and Carey smoked a two-run double to left field to give the West an 8-0 lead. The big blow in the fifth came on Nicole Ames' three-run inside-the-park home run.
Cassidy was excited to keep the game within striking distance before the West's offensive explosion in the fifth.
"It just shows that we can compete if we try," she said.
Davis understands the West made some changes hitting.
"I thought she threw excellent," Davis said of Cassidy. "I thought she kept the ball down for the most part. She got the ball up a little in that last inning. They are a good team too. They made some adjustments and put the ball in play."
Mueller pitched a complete game in the second game. The East had just two hits from Argyle's Kim Fischer and Arneson.
"It's the last game some of them will play," Davis said. "I just told them remember your senior years and maybe you can make some friendships out of it.
