Cathedral capitalizes on seven Knights errorsBaserunning, Katie Stueber hits lead

Greyhounds

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- If it hadn't been for Sleepy Eye St. Mary's seven errors, the game against Cathedral wouldn't have been so bad.

The Greyhounds played heads-up ball to beat the Knights 12-1 in six innings in Tomahawk Conference softball Monday at Harman park.

"We did a good job running the bases," Cathedral pitcher Julie Seifert said. Seifert had a hit, four RBI and scored two runs. "We took advantage of their mistakes."

"We just need to be on our toes on defense next time," pitcher Raina Walter said. Walter struck out three, giving up eight hits. "We started out really well, but I think we started to fall apart in the bottom of the third.

"We just need to pick it up next time and be ready for anything," Walter said.

In the bottom of the third, the Knights committed three errors. Two throwing errors allowed Cathedral's Mandy Domeier to advance to third to load the bases. Then Walter and Nikki Hertling collided on Julie Seifert's pop fly to the infield, allowing two runners to score. Base hits by Kyley Hillesheim and Katie Stueber scored runs to put the Greyhounds up 4-0.

"I think we started pretty even, then started taking things hard when we made errors," Walter said. "We need to brush it off ... [and] play consistent the whole game, and we'll play well."

In the fourth inning, Jonalyn Cook scored from third for St. Mary's when Hertling hit a ball to right that Stueber didn't quite reach. But two straight errors from Cook at shortstop set up Nikki Fischer's two-RBI triple to make it 6-1.

Kirsten Prunty scored on yet another Knight error, as Stephanie Krzmarzick fumbled a ball to left field. Krzmarzick turned around to throw the runner out at second to end the inning.

Jenna Schugel scored on a passed ball after getting a base hit, then Seifert hit another two home and Stueber finished the game off with a two-RBI single to end it 12-1.

"We started opening up in the last few innings," Seifert said. "We were selecting our pitches well."

The Greyhounds outhit St. Mary's 9-6. Stueber led the Greyhounds on offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Fischer was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a triple.

Cathedral also played pretty tough defense with one error and Seifert had two strikeouts as St. Mary's put the ball into play.

"I didn't think I was hitting my spots very well, but my changeup was better tonight," Seifert said. "I like to credit the defense; our defense did very well, and we compensated for our mistakes."

Cathedral (5-0) hosts BLH Thursday. St. Mary's (4-3, 2-2) hosts Minnesota Valley Lutheran Tuesday.

The St. Mary's B-squad beat Cathedral 6-4. St. Mary's scored five in the top of the seventh to win. Sara Berg gave up 12 hits, five walks and had 10 strikeouts and hit a double with two RBI. Heidi Mertz had a double, triple and two RBI.