BUCYRUS — Freshman pitcher Haylee Stratton threw her first complete game, an 8-2 win over rival Wynford in a Northern 10 Athletic Conference softball game Tuesday evening at Jack Hewitt Field.
Stratton struck out a pair and walked four but held the Lady Royals in check after the first two innings. She added an RBI double in the first inning and a single in the third inning to help her own cause.
“This was her first complete game,” Bucyrus head coach Jerry “Pudge” Hargis said. “She worked at it all winter.
“She’s a real good catcher too. She’s going to have to make up her mind what she wants to do. I don’t know too many catchers who are pitchers, that combination. As long as she works on it and that’s what she wants to do, I’m gonna help her.”
Stratton faced 28 batters over 6 innings and retired the side in order in the fourth and sixth.
It was a complete game also for the team, combining timely hitting with solid defense as Bucyrus made just one error in the third inning that did no damage.
“The first inning we acted like we didn’t know who wanted to catch what ball. Later in the game, after we talked a lot about it 4 or 5 times, they got a little better. But that’s coaching. You repeat, you repeat and then they get it.”
Bucyrus had 6 hits, but they came at the right time.
Natalie Hankins delivered singles in the second and third innings. Marissa Middleton belted a two-out triple in the fourth and Brooke Dennison singled in the third.
“Not bad at all. Tonight, we did, but that’s been our downfall so far, not hitting the ball. I think we can field with most people,” Hargis said. “We just got to hit the ball better and move it. We’re going to be all right.”
Wynford got runs in the first and second innings thanks to Rylee Robinson’s single and a Bucyrus error. Reese McGuire had the team’s only other hit.
The Lady Red scored in 4 of the 6 innings in which they batted.
Wynford head coach Jamee Burke credited Stratton’s performance as well as that of her own young hurler, Rylee Robinson.
“She came in as a freshman and sometimes you’re not accustomed to that Wynford-Bucyrus rivalry. She handled the job well today,” Burke said.
“The same as Rylee. She continues to prepare herself well on the mound. Our defense just kind of fell apart there in a couple of innings.”
Robinson pitched well again, striking out 8 and issuing 2 walks.
Bucyrus plated two runs each in the second and third innings, aided by fielding errors and Hankins’ single. Similarly, errors allowed 3 more runs by the Lady Red in the sixth.
“Timely walks by them and some timely hitting, and we threw the ball away there,” Burke said.
The warm weather was welcome by both teams.
“It’s great, but the other downside is having 6 games in 6 days, with no rainouts. So, the little things we kind of need to clean up, we’re going to have to do on the fly,” Burke said.
“But we get in a routine and it’s starting to feel like spring. So hopefully good things will come.”
Hargis agreed.
“It’s a busy week with 5 games in 5 days. You don’t have to worry about practice. You gotta coach ’em going along, in between innings. You see, we have a meeting after every half inning to talk about what’s going on,” Hargis said.
“They’re responding good. I’ve got no complaints.”
The Lady Red are now 4-4 overall and the Lady Royals are 2-5.
The two teams played a junior varsity game afterward.
“It helps a lot,” Burke said. “We’re pretty freshman-heavy this year so it’s a chance to get them in there. We’ve got 4 or 5 girls that don’t necessarily get to play every day.
“When you practice as hard as we do, getting a chance to play is great. It gives us a chance to work them out and see where they are.”
The two teams play Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Wynford.
Wynford 110 000 0 2 2 6
Bucyrus 122 003 X 8 6 1
WP: Haylee Stratton (2 SO, 4 W)
LP: Rylee Robinson (8 SO, 2 W)
HR: None.
Triples: (B) Marissa Middleton.
Doubles: (B) Haylee Stratton.
Multiple hits: (B) Haylee Stratton, Natalie Hankins.
Records: Wynford 2-5, 0-5 N10; Bucyrus 4-4, 2-3 N10.
Next: Bucyrus at Wynford, Wednesday.