The Fastpitch Chronicle

Westosha Central opened its 2017 schedule with a conference doubleheader sweep of Lake Geneva Badger. In the first game, Alyssa Hrncar pitched a one-hitter and rode the 3-hit attack by Kayla Kerkman with the two-hits from Sarai Roberts for a 12-0 win. Hrncar struck out 9 while walking one. "She was her normal self. When she has that type of control she can be very difficult to face." (co-head coach Tom Lampe) The Falcons struck right away putting across three runs in the first. Kerkman led off with a single and scored when Kira Mickelson's grounder was misplayed. Carrie Weis then scored Mickelson on a triple to center. She then scored on a wild pitch. Westosha added another 3 in the 2nd. With two-out, Olivia Kazumura singled, followed by Kerkman's second base hit. Hrncar then plated Kazumura and Kerkman scored one pitch later on the 2nd wild pitch. Hrncar later ended the inning's score when Mickelson singled. Single runs in the 3rd and 4th increased the lead and the Falcons put the game away in the 5th with four runs. Carrie Weis led off with a walk and scored on Becca Edward's double to right. A single by Andrea Edquist plated Edwards and Kerman's third hit scored Edquist. A single by Danielle Gulliford scored Sarai Roberts with the final run. In the second game, the Falcons used five Badger miscues, 9 hits and a solid pitching performance by Olivia Kazumura to complete the sweep with a 12-3 win. Kazumura earned her first career varsity win allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out five and walking four. "She showed the poise of a veteran. Nothing seemed to faze her. That was a positive step in her development." (co-head coach Tom Lampe) The Badgers took an early lead when Caylee Ryan led off the game with a double. After moving the third, she scored on a sacrifice fly by Morgan Moore. But the lead was short-lived. Kerkman led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and scored when Olivia Klean belted a home run to left center. The Falcons would never trail again. They took advantage of a walk and an error to score 4 times in the 3rd. Kazumura walked and reached third on a Klean double. She then scored on a costly Badger error on a Mickelson grounder. A single and error on a Carrie Weis hit scored Klean and Mickelson scored on a wild pitch. Weis added the final run when she scored on a ground out by Kendall Krumm. Mickelson added to more runs when she plated Kerkman and Rylee Johnson with a 4th inning double and a Kazumura two-out single in the 5th scored Krumm, who had walked to lead off the inning. "We had a lot of two-out hits and that is something we were very good at two-years ago. Hopefully we can continue that trend." (co-head coach Tom Lampe) In the top of the frame, the Badgers cut the lead to 8-5 on a towering home run to center field by Seneca Peterson. The shot also scored Caylee Ryan, who had walked. But it was the Falcons who finished the scoring with 3 in the 6th inning. Mickelson led off with a single and reached 2nd on another Badger error. After reaching third, she scored on a double steal with Weis. Runs by Weis and Gulliford ended the Falcon output. "We did some really nice things out there. The fielding was pretty solid (only 2 errors total) and we got contributions from most everyone. Not only that, we were able to get a lot of players their first taste of varsity and they responded well. Badger gave us a very good look and we are pleased with how our team responded in their first action of the season. If we continue to work and improve, we'll be fine." (co-head coach Tom Lampe) With the win the Falcons start the season 2-0 and are 2-0 in the Southern Lakes. They return to action next Tuesday when they host Union Grove in an early conference show down.