Royals takes second game of doubleheader vs. Williston State
The Lake Region State softball team split a doubleheader Thursday vs. the Williston State College Tetons, winning Game 2, 10-2, after dropping the first contest 9-3.
Article by Chuck Wickenhofer, Devils Lake Journal Sports, April 22nd, 2016
The Lake Region State softball team split a doubleheader Thursday vs. the Williston State College Tetons, winning Game 2, 10-2, after dropping the first contest 9-3.
Tetons pitcher Jalen Creech, last year's conference MVP, largely kept the Royals in check in Game 1 after Williston State blasted back-to-back homers in the first inning to get off to a 3-0 lead.
Creech kept the Royals off of the board until the bottom of the third inning, though only one of the two runs was earned. The score was 4-2 after three innings, but that would be as close as the Royals would get, as the Tetons once again hit back-to-back dingers on the way to a five run inning.
Creech would only give up one more run the rest of the game on a blast by centerfielder Emma Gary.
"Jalen Creech is the reigning MVP of the conference," Royals head coach Kory Boehmer said. "There's a reason for that; she throws well, hard enough to keep us off balance."
The Tetons homered five times in the contest and that was more than Creech would need to seal the 9-3 victory, though the Royals had a few opportunities to battle back, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. However, the Royals were unable to capitalize.
"We're going to keep battling and we're going to keep playing hard," Boehmer said. "We just need that breakout moment."
Game 2 was a different story. After Williston State was once again able to score in the top of the first inning, Royals starting pitcher Alaina McKinnon was able to keep the Tetons off the board by firing strike after strike.
"(McKinnon) is really doing well these last couple of weeks," Boehmer said. "The more she throws, the better she gets."
The Royals scored in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of a throwing error to even the score 1-1. After McKinnon retired the side in order in the top of the third, the Royals went to work in their half of the inning.
The scoring commenced on Emma Gary's second homer of the day, both of which were blasted over both fences. Not to be outdone by her twin sister, Hanna Gary blasted a two-run shot to give the Royals a two run lead.
"(Emma Gary) is hitting the ball really well. She's always been a good hitter. We've worked on a couple of things, and she's really gotten confident," Boehmer said. "She and her sister Hanna are amazing players, and they can carry us a long way."
After the Royals loaded the bases in the third following the two blasts, the Tetons went back to Creech to try to stop the bleeding. However, she immediately gave up a two-run double to make the game 6-1, then unleashed a wild pitch and gave up another double to make the score 8-1.
The Royals tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth, and McKinnon gave up a solo homer in the top of the fifth to bring the score to 9-2. That would be as close as the Tetons would get, as McKinnon blasted an RBI double to centerfield to put the game away, 10-2. The eight run rule was in effect, ending the contest.
"I think we just wore them out, basically we wore them down," Boehmer said.
The Royals travel to Wahpeton this weekend for back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday.
