The Fastpitch Chronicle

Lodi pitcher Bailey Stark shut down the Poynette offense today in Poynette and helped her own cause with a two-run double in the top of the third.

The two runs were all she needed as the Pumas could not muster enough offense to score any runs. The final score was 2-0.

In the Lodi third Poynette pitcher Morgan Gunderson surrendered a leadoff single by the ninth batter Koenig. Elise Krumpen followed with a single to put Blue Devils on first and second with no outs. Taylor Reese pushed a bunt down the first base line but Poynette first sacker Karli Rivette made a great play by fielding and throwing to third to retire the lead runner. Rivette then handled a low pop up for the second out. Stark then drilled a 1-1 pitch over the centerfielder's head to score the runs. 

Lodi collected six hits of Gunderson in 4 1/3 innings. Kassidy McCaffery came on with one out and a runner at first. She relinquished a single to the first batter she faced but struck out the next two batters. Gunderson struck out five batters and McCaffery notched four. 

Stark limited the Pumas to five hits, struck out four and walked none. 

Poynette was led at the plate by sophomore first sacker Karli Rivette who was 2x3 and junior shortstop Grace Gavinski who was also 2x32. The only other Poynette hit was off the bat of McCaffery.

There were four great defensive plays by the Pumas that kept the game as close as it was. In the third with no outs and runners on first and second Rivette charged hard on a bunt down the first baseline, fielded in one motion rifled a throw to third to retire the lead runner. Then in the fourth with a runner on second and one out she charged hard on a short bunt and got to in time to tag the batter out about ten feet from home. The other two plays, one which was really remarkable were made by Grace Gavinski at shortstop. The first one was a ball hit hard up the middle that Gunderson was able to slow down enough to make it a slow roller toward second. Suddenly Gavinski was there, picked it barehanded an in one swoop rifled a throw to Rivette at first whose tremendous stretch completed the play. 

The Pumas are scheduled to travel to Columbus tomorrow before hosting Lakeside Lutheran in a twinbill on Thursday.