The Fastpitch Chronicle

Two pretty good softball teams squared off today in the season opener  for both teams as Poynette nipped Parkview (Orfordville) 5-2. The game as marred by some unearned runs but in the end it was a base on ball and a two batter struck by pitches that that made a difference.

Orfordville’s hard throwing Remi Stark fanned 11 but the free bases all scored for the Pumas as they came up with timely sacrifice bunts and put the ball in play well enough to pick up the win.

The win went to junior pitcher Casey Fountain who repeatedly kept the Parkview batters off balance and if not for the fact that her defense committed five errors she may have had a no hitter and perhaps a perfect game. Fountain matched Stark pitch for pitch and fanned  a dozen but walked nor hit any batters.  She was also one of the batters who was hit by a pitch and scored a run.

In the bottom of the third inning Stark nailed Mollie Blochwitz on the first pitch of the inning and when Brianna Kowald got a bunt down moved to third. Stark then nailed Fountain putting runners on first and second. With two outs,  Molly Anderson worked the count deep and got it to full. The runners were on the move when Anderson drilled a Stark offering off the fence in dead centerfield sending both Blochwitz home for a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning Fountain coaxed a ground ball out to second off the bat of Laruen Hammes and then a base hit bunt attempt by Abbi Butzler was fielded and thrown away at first base. Following that error Sidda Meyers hit a bouncer to short that was booted and Parkview had hope. Fountain took Catie Nolan down on strikes before Remi Stark blooped a ball into between the rightfielder and second sacker sprinting out sending Butzler home. When Hunter  Baars hit a roller to second it was also booted allowing Meyers to knot the score at 2-2.

In the bottom of the sixth the Pumas got things rolling when Ashley Hellenbrand drew that base on balls off Stark. Anderson dropped down a perfect bunt and when Lucy Cuff followed with a bloop single into short rightfield, he second base knock off Stark, Hellenbrand stopped at third base. With runners on the corners Cuff headed for second base but the short cutoff throw from the catcher to the shortstop missed its mark and rolled into centerfield allowing Hellenbrand to score and Cuff make it safely to second. After a strikeout Zoe Ramberg hit a short pop fly down the leftfield line that was dropped by the Parkview shortstop which allowed Cuff, running with two down to score. Ramberg advanced to second where she was replaced by freshman Ashia Meister who then scored on a rocket up the middle that struck Stark’s glove high above her head and out into centerfield.  The score was then 5-2. Fountain then made short work of the visitors in the top of the seventh with a light pop out to first and fanned the next two to end the game.

Both of these teams are highly respected and will be in the thick of things in their respective conferences. “Parkview is extremely well coached and Remi Stark is really a treat to watch,” said Poynette coach Bob Tomlinson. “This was a great opener for us. Lucy Cuff did a great job of battling when she was down 1&2 in the count to keep that sixth inning alive . She worked extremely hard all summer to improve at this game.”