WHS SOFTBALL: WHS’s Robinson strikes out 15 in two complete games to lead Trojans over Luverne 7-3, 10-3

WORTHINGTON – The Trojan softball team relied on timely hitting, a defense that bend but didn’t break and the arm of Angela Robinson to sweep a Southwest Conference doubleheader with the Luverne Cardinals Tuesday afternoon at Centennial Field.

WHS won 7-3 in the first game and 10-3 in the nightcap.

The Trojan snapped a three-game losing streak and improved both their overall and conference records to .500 (3-3, 2-2).

“I thought we played two really good, complete games and bounced back nicely from last week’s games against Pipestone,” WHS head coach Sam Baumgartner said. “I think those Pipestone games helped us and we learned a lot from those. We responded and rebounded to play a lot better.

“We hit the ball well and we talked and communicated a lot better defensively and made better plays on the defensive end of things. Any time that we can play good defense and get out of innings, I think that is going to help us. It gets us out of jams and prevents the other team from getting big innings, which got us last week.”

Angela Robinson picked up complete-game wins in the circle for the hosts in each game.

In Game 1, she allowed no earned runs on nine hits and one walk, while striking out 11. In Game 2, two of her runs were earned on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

“Angela pitched two quality games,” Baumgartner said. “Her and (catcher) K.C. (Riley) were working well together. They were clicking and setting batters up and gave the defense opportunites to make plays. We did make some errors, but we didn’t allow it to snowball like it did last week. We were able to get out of jams a lot better.”

While the Trojans did make six errors in the two games compared to five on the Cardinals, it was timely hitting that made the difference.

WHS scored four runs in bottom of the first inning to answer a run LHS in the top half of the inning.

The Trojans extended the lead to 6-1 in the second inning before the Cardinals answered with two runs in the fifth to make it 6-3.

However, the hosts wrapped up the Game 1 scoring with a run in the bottom of the fifth for the 7-3 final.

Yadirra Barrigan and Rebecca Linder each had a pair of hits for WHS in the first game, while Brandie Timmerman had two RBI.

Jenny Majerus, Aleanna Heig, Kara Honius and Riley each had an RBI in the opener for the Trojans.

Meanwhile, Ashley Olson and Erica DeBoer had a pair of hits for LHS in Game 1, while Kristen Reisdorfer and DeBoer each had an RBI.

Olson took the Game 1 loss for the Cardinals, allowing five earned runs on nine hits, five walks and a hit batter, while striking out seven.

In the nightcap, WHS claimed command early by scoring two runs off of LHS starter Ellen Dahl.

The Cardinals answered with one in the bottom of the first, but the Trojans countered with three in the second and three more in the fourth to hold an 8-1 after four innings.

LHS closed the gap to 8-3 in the bottom half of the fifth, which was answered by two runs by WHS in the top half of the sixth for the 10-3 Game 2 final.

Barrigan and Kinley each scored three runs for the Trojans in the second game, while Riley and Majerus each had three RBI.

Baumgartner was quick to highlight Barrigan’s efforts in the contest as the rightfielder, who usually plays left field, finished the doubleheader with five runs scored on a 3-for-6 combined day at the plate with three walks.

“We switched things around a little bit,” the WHS coach said. “Yadirra usually is playing left field, but with the way the wind was blowing, I thought it would be a wise idea to put her in right as more balls would be going that way and she has one of our stronger throwing arms in the outfield and she did double one up with a real nice play in the third inning.

“She’s a very heady ballplayer. She a good defensive player and she’s also one of our best baserunners and she had a nice day at the plate.”

Barrigan explained her patient approach at the plate near the top of the Trojan lineup.

“I get really nervous during the games,” Barrigan said. “But today I just let loose and I think we played very well.

“We’ve been working on this. I’ve been doing a lot of bunting and slapping, but they told me to hit because they know I can hit it hard. That’s been working well for me.”

Additionally for WHS in Game 2, Robinson had two hits with two RBI and Linder added a pair of hits.

“We all clicked well together as a team (Tuesday),” Robinson said. “We were all trying to hit it hard and they were pitching it right where we wanted it and we just went at it.”

Dahl took the second game loss for the Cardinals by working the first three innings and striking out two.

Olson, who led the LHS bats in the second game with two doubles and an RBI, relieved Dahl and struck out four over the final four innings.

DeBoer had two RBI with a pair of sacrifice flys and a hit in the second contest for the Cardinals, while Dahl, Macy Edwards, Ashley Otten and Ariel Reker each had a base hit.

However, the Cardinals couldn’t pace the Trojans in runs, although the visitors only had two fewer hits throughout the two contests.

“We had a few hits, but they weren’t strung together,” LHS head coach Steve Semmens said. “We didn’t string together a lot of hits and we didn’t put together any big innings either, so that made the difference.

“That tells the tale of the game. They came out and hit the ball hard. They scored runs and got some two-out hits and we didn’t get much with two outs.”

LHS drops to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Cardinals host Brandon Valley (S.D.) Tuesday.

The Trojans travel to Brewster Friday for a game with Southwestern United.

Game 1 R H E

LHS 100 020 0 – 3 9 1

WHS 420 010 X – 7 9 3

Game 2 R H E

WHS 230 302 0 – 10 10 3

LHS 100 020 0 – 3 8 4

Angela Robinson picked up complete-game wins in the circle for the hosts in each game.

In Game 1, she allowed no earned runs on nine hits and one walk, while striking out 11. In Game 2, two of her runs were earned on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

“Angela pitched two quality games,” Baumgartner said. “Her and (catcher) K.C. (Riley) were working well together. They were clicking and setting batters up and gave the defense opportunites to make plays. We did make some errors, but we didn’t allow it to snowball like it did last week. We were able to get out of jams a lot better.”

While the Trojans did make six errors combined in the two games compared to five on the Cardinals, it was timely hitting that made the difference.

WHS scored four runs in bottom of the first inning to answer a run from LHS in the top half of the inning.

The Trojans extended the lead to 6-1 in the second inning before the Cardinals answered with two runs in the fifth to make it 6-3.

However, the hosts wrapped up the Game 1 scoring with a run in the bottom of the fifth for the 7-3 final.

Yadirra Barrigan and Rebecca Linder each had a pair of hits for WHS in the first game, while Brandie Timmerman had two RBI.

Jenny Majerus, Aleanna Heig, Kara Honius and Riley each had an RBI in the opener for the Trojans.

Meanwhile, Ashley Olson and Erica DeBoer had a pair of hits for LHS in Game 1, while Kristen Reisdorfer and DeBoer each had an RBI.

Olson took the Game 1 loss for the Cardinals, allowing five earned runs on nine hits, five walks and a hit batter, while striking out seven.

In the nightcap, WHS claimed command early by scoring two runs off of LHS starter Ellen Dahl.

The Cardinals answered with one in the bottom of the first, but the Trojans countered with three in the second and three more in the fourth to hold an 8-1 after four innings.

LHS closed the gap to 8-3 in the bottom half of the fifth, which was answered by two runs by WHS in the top half of the sixth for the 10-3 Game 2 final.

Barrigan and Kinley each scored three runs for the Trojans in the second game, while Riley and Majerus each had three RBI.

Baumgartner was quick to highlight Barrigan’s efforts in the contest as the rightfielder, who usually plays left field, finished the doubleheader with five runs scored on a 3-for-6 combined day at the plate with three walks.

“We switched things around a little bit,” the WHS coach said. “Yadirra usually is playing left field, but with the way the wind was blowing, I thought it would be a wise idea to put her in right as more balls would be going that way and she has one of our stronger throwing arms in the outfield and she did double one up with a real nice play in the third inning.

“She’s a very heady ballplayer. She’s a good defensive player and she’s also one of our best baserunners and she had a nice day at the plate.”

Barrigan explained her patient approach at the plate near the top of the Trojan lineup.

“I get really nervous during the games,” Barrigan said. “But today I just let loose and I think we played very well.

“We’ve been working on this. I’ve been doing a lot of bunting and slapping, but they told me to hit because they know I can hit it hard. That’s been working well for me.”

Additionally for WHS in Game 2, Robinson had two hits with two RBI and Linder added a pair of hits.

“We all clicked well together as a team (Tuesday),” Robinson said. “We were all trying to hit it hard and they were pitching it right where we wanted it and we just went at it.”

Dahl took the second game loss for the Cardinals by working the first three innings and striking out two.

Olson, who led the LHS bats in the second game with two doubles and an RBI, relieved Dahl and struck out four over the final four innings.

DeBoer had two RBI with a pair of sacrifice flys and a hit in the second contest for the Cardinals, while Dahl, Macy Edwards, Ashley Otten and Ariel Reker each had a base hit.

However, the Cardinals couldn’t pace the Trojans in runs, although the visitors only had two fewer hits throughout the two contests.

“We had a few hits, but they weren’t strung together,” LHS head coach Steve Semmens said. “We didn’t string together a lot of hits and we didn’t put together any big innings either, so that made the difference.

“That tells the tale of the game. They came out and hit the ball hard. They scored runs and got some two-out hits and we didn’t get much with two outs.”

LHS drops to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Cardinals host Brandon Valley (S.D.) Tuesday.

The Trojans travel to Brewster Friday for a game with Southwestern United.

Game 1 R H E

LHS 100 020 0 – 3 9 1

WHS 420 010 X – 7 9 3

Game 2 R H E

WHS 230 302 0 – 10 10 3

LHS 100 020 0 – 3 8 4

Tags: sports, prep, luverne, baseball, trojans