Errors hurt Indians in loss (05/13/03)

FORT RECOVERY — Fort Recovery’s three hits were not enough to overcome its four errors.

Two of those errors were harmless, but the other two allowed a pair of unearned runs to cross the plate in the Indians’ 4-2 loss to Coldwater in Midwest Athletic Conference softball action Monday.

“It’s pretty important to put the ball in play,” said Coldwater coach Jack Mescher, whose team managed just four hits of its own. “Even though it’s not a hit, there is such a thing as a good out.”

Still, the Cavaliers (14-8, 4-2 MAC) stepped on top before the fielding problems began for Fort Recovery.

With two outs in the first inning, Jodi Reithman knocked a single to right field. Sarah Knoth moved her to third with a single to center, and then stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position for No. 5 hitting Danielle Goubeaux.

Goubeaux smashed a shot back up the middle, which glanced off pitcher Sarah Schmitz’s foot and into left field. Reithman and Knoth both came in to give Coldwater a 2-0 lead on its third consecutive two-out base hit.

Schmitz got catcher Katie Homan out to end the inning, but the Cavaliers would never give up their advantage.

They scored their first unearned run in the third inning without getting a hit. Amber Lefeld drew a one-out walk, and scored when Schmitz overthrew first baseman Tanya Thobe on a routine grounder from Reithman.

The Indians (12-6) bounced back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third without garnering a hit.

Ciera Rammel and Lisa Grisez got the offense going with back-to-back one-out walks, and each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Joscie Kaup hit a blooper to right field in the next at bat, which second-baseman Stacey Muhlenkamp tracked down for the second out.

But, with Muhlenkamp’s back to the plate Rammel broke for home and scored. The throw got by Homan, allowing Grisez to score as well and pull the Tribe within one.

However, it would not score again in the contest, leaving runners on base in each of the next three innings.

“We couldn’t get the hits at the right time,” said Fort Recovery coach Marie Osterholt. “We played well, they played well. It was a good game.”

Coldwater picked up a final insurance run in the seventh inning after Julie Faller dropped a routine fly by Kelly Weigel to start the inning. Lefeld laid down a sacrifice bunt, Reithman walked, and Knoth drove Weigel in with a ground out to second baseman Ciera Rammel.

Knoth had a hit, a run and an RBI for the Cavaliers, and Goubeaux had a hit and two RBIs. Reithman singled and scored once.

Weigel earned the win, pitching four innings and allowing two runs — one earned — on three hits. She struck out three and walked two.

Amy Welsch tossed one scoreless inning of relief, and Mindy Quinter pitched two innings of scoreless ball for the save.

“We like to throw ‘em off a little bit,” said Mescher of his three-pitcher system. “It kind of worked to perfection.”

The loss for Fort Recovery went to Sarah Schmitz, who allowed four runs — two earned — on four hits. She struck out two and walked three.

Joscie Kaup, Krystal Rammel and Allison Perkeybile each had one hit for the Tribe.

Despite the fielding and hitting difficulties, Osterholt said she had no doubt her crew would be ready for its first sectional game. The Indians take on St. Henry in a semifinal game at the New Bremen sectional today at 5 p.m.

“Tomorrow is the big game,” she said after the contest. “We need to play perfect, and we can.

“We’ll be fine tomorrow. We’ll be ready to go.”

Fort Recovery defeated the Redskins in their regular-season meeting, 7-2.[[In-content Ad]]