Rusty Angels fall twice to Maple River

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- The 16-under Maple River Blue (13-4) stymied the New Ulm Blue Angels' offense in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday at Harman Park, allowing the Angels just two hits in the game, as well as two accompanying runs as Maple River won 7-2.

Both New Ulm runs came in the fourth inning. Katelyn Berg led off and was hit by a pitch, then Martha Beatty advanced her to third with a single down the right field line. Berg and Beatty scored when Jenna French and Brooke Lilleodden were thrown out at first. The other hit came at the end of the fourth when Andrea Ring plopped one down the right field line as well.

Betsie Collins pitched a complete game win for Maple River Blue, walking just one and striking out six.

"She was a little quicker than we were used to ... she hit the corners well, and her changeup was good too," Angel shortstop Beatty said. Beatty went 1-for-3 in the first game. "We got the bat on the ball -- we were just a little behind it and hit a lot of them towards first base."

Taking the loss for the Angels was Katie Stueber, who went three innings, giving up five runs on five hits, striking out three, walking none. Kristi Klingler came in for the last four innings and gave up two runs on three hits, two walks and two strikeouts.

But Angels coach Dean Hosna doesn't think that pitching was the reason for Maple River's win or the Angels' loss.

"This game wasn't so much a game of pitching, it was a game of errors," he said. "If you take the errors away, after the five runs, we played a pretty good game. We did have a pitching change, but that was just to give them a different speed."

Maple River had scored three runs in the second inning and two in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Two of the four who made it on base did so on error. Their lead was widened by two runs in the fourth when an outfield error allowed one run to score, and another made it home on a fielder's choice.

"After our Thursday game in Mankato when we lost both, I told the girls to take the weekend off and rest," Hosna said, explaining that the girls have played 32 games in 23 days. "We came out rusty -- you could see that their arms were rusty.

"I know if we bring our "A" game to the field, we can beat 'em," he said. "We need to buckle down and get the job done."

In the second game, Maple River shut down the Angels' offense more, allowing just one hit in their 8-0 win.

Andrea Ring got her base hit in the third inning, Becky Hosna reached on error in the fourth, and Jenna French walked.

"We faced their ace pitcher -- a very good pitcher -- one of the better pitchers we've faced this year," Hosna said.

Starting pitcher Klingler took the loss, and Stueber came in relief in third.

After the first game, the Angels are 7-10, and are looking forward to the State "B" tournament in Austin this weekend.

"Our goal was to make a tournament, so that's very good -- we made our goal and hopefully we can have a good outing," he said.