Blackhawks down (04/03/06)

FORT RECOVERY — Even when Renee Evers was making outs she managed to drive in runs.

Evers racked up six RBIs for the Fort Recovery softball team in Saturday’s double-header, and Val Fortkamp and Ciera Rammel each scored five runs. They led the Indians to a pair of victories over the Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks, 12-2 in five innings and 9-5.

“The first game we were very timid, weren’t aggressive, and they need to learn to be aggressive with the bats,” said FRHS coach Marie Osterholt, whose team has won three straight since dropping its season opener 10-4 to Ansonia. “We need everybody to be able to hit it. ... if we can just drop them in there, we have a lot of speed.”

Five of the six RBIs for Evers were in the opening game, and half on the day came by way of sacrifice flys.

With Fortkamp and Rammel on second and third with no outs in the first inning of game one, Evers hit a fly ball to center. Fortkamp scored, and Rammel never stopped, rounding third base and cruising home to give her fellow senior two RBIs on the play.

The pair combined to dominate the Mississinawa Valley in the five-inning win, garnering two-thirds of their team’s hits and seven of its nine RBIs.

Evers was 2-for-2 with a triple and a run.

Rammel hit safely in each of her four at bats, finishing with a double, three runs and two RBIs.

“That’s what we need from our seniors,” said Osterholt.

Sandra Sudhoff finished 2-for-3 with a run, and RBI and a stolen base, and Fortkamp singled and scored three times.

In game two Rammel had finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. The Indians had just five hits in all, but took advantage of nine walks.

After Mississinawa Valley pulled to within 5-3 in the top of the sixth inning, the Indians answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame to put the game away.

They got a two-run single from Rammel and drew five walks, two of which — by Sudhoff and Kelly Link — came with the bases loaded to push home runs.

Fortkamp scored twice, and Kelsie Will added a pair of runs as she walked in each of her four at bats.

Fort Recovery also benefited from another stellar defensive effort.

It played a clean opening game, then committed just a single error in the second.

“I’ve been real pleased with the defense,” said Osterholt. “They make plays, and that’s what they need to do. They’re doing their job.”

The defense backed up starters Beth May and Kinsey Wenning, who each had their best performances of the young season.

May allowed just four hits and two runs to earn her first victory in the opening. She walked three and struck out three.

Wenning, a freshman, improved to 2-0 as she went the distance in game two. She gave up five runs — four earned — on six hits while striking out three. She also cut her walk total in half after struggling to find the plate in Friday night’s win.

“Kinsey pitched a nice game,” said Osterholt. “She finished it, finished strong. I see improvement every time she goes out there.

“If they get better every day, that’s what they need to do. They’re coming along. It was good to see them both get a win today.”[[In-content Ad]]