2008 Woodie Awards
Softball splits doubleheader vs. Seattle
Amanda Miles
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The Western softball team closed out its season with something it hopes to do a lot more next year: win.
The Wolves (14-33, 7-16 GNAC) played a doubleheader against the Seattle Redhawks (30-15, 17-7 GNAC) on Saturday, May 7, losing a 1-0 heartbreaker in the first game, but bouncing back for a 5-2 decision in extra innings in the second contest.
In the first game, freshman pitcher Christina Cooke held Seattle scoreless through five innings, but the Redhawks got going in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. Senior outfielder Stephanie Stone hit a single, and then stole second base. Freshman outfielder Brenda Stice then launched a single of her own to center field to drive in Stone for the game’s only score.
The Wolves had a chance to make a comeback in the top of the seventh when senior outfielder Morgan Huffstutter singled with just one out, but outs in the next two at-bats ended the threat. Cooke took the loss even though she gave up just six hits to go along with three walks and two strike outs.
The second game featured more offensive production from both squads. In the top of the first, Redhawks junior pitcher Erin Kemper loaded the bases with two outs, but managed to keep the Wolves from scoring by getting sophomore shortstop Hannah James to ground out.
After sophomore pitcher Ashley Dimeo held Seattle scoreless through the first inning, the Wolves finally broke through. Dimeo reached first after a dropped ball at third base. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Brittany Galego advanced Dimeo to second. Huffstutter was walked to place runners on first and second. Then, sophomore Shannon Prochaska ripped a single to right field to drive in Dimeo and advance Huffstutter to third. After junior catcher Lydia Foster was walked to load the bases, Huffstutter scored on a wild pitch to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead. After freshman outfielder Emily Edmonson singled to load the bases once again, junior Erin Bequette hit a fly ball to end the inning.
Seattle began its comeback in the bottom of the fourth. A sacrifice bunt by Stone advanced sophomore first baseman Amanda Nilles and freshman Lindsey Aucutt to second and third. Sophomore Kelli Marek flied out to right field, but Nilles advanced home under the tag to cut the Wolves’ lead to 2-1.
The Wolves’ lead evaporated in the bottom of the sixth when Aucutt homered with no one on base to tie the score at two runs apiece. Both teams failed to score by the end of the seventh, so the game went to extra innings.
Western wasted no time in getting its offense going again. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Prochaska and Foster both hit singles to center field. On the next at-bat, Edmonson launched a single of her own to drive in Prochaska under the tag from second base, while Foster advanced to third. Bequette then ripped a single to left field to drive in Foster. With runners now at first and second, James doubled to send Edmonson home, and freshman outfielder Sara Tucholsky struck out to end the inning the Wolves’ half of the inning. The game ended with three outs of four Seattle batters to give Western the victory. Dimeo yielded seven hits and four walks in the contest while striking out two.
The win brought an end to a difficult season, which offered few wins after high expectations. However, the squad experienced a great deal of growing pains after returning only five players from last year’s team and welcoming eight freshmen into the fold and two transfers.
“Everyone was really disappointed with how we did this year,” explained Foster. “We have really good individual athletes.”
Those athletes just didn’t translate into wins this season. However, the Wolves may just have needed a little more time to gel, given their youth.
“The more people played, the more we came together,” said Foster. “We didn’t have a problem getting along. We had good team chemistry off the field, and when it was good on the field, we did really well.”
We don’t make huge mistakes, but didn’t do enough to win,” continued Foster. “But things started coming together at the end.”
With up to 11 team members projected to return to the squad next year—including junior pitcher Ashley Holmstrom, who was out for the season with an injury—the future of Western softball looks bright. The emergence of Dimeo—who also splits time at first base—on the mound, and the return of Holmstrom will offer more versatility and firepower to the squad, which often had to rely on the young arm of Cooke.
All three Wolves who were named GNAC all-conference will also be back. Foster and Prochaska were first-team selections, and freshman third baseman Trina Dorn was a second-team pick. Foster posted a .425 batting average that yielded 15 doubles and 30 RBI on the season. Prochaska was also named the league’s Newcomer of the Year after hitting .359, good for seventh in the conference, and scoring 25 runs.
Additionally, Foster and Prochaska were also named to the Louisville Slugger National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-West Region team, Foster on the first team and Prochaska on the second, respectively.