Hurricane sophomore pitcher Courtney Rogers tossed her second shutout of the season against regional perennial power St. Albans on Thursday, though offense dominated the stat sheet for the Redskins.
Rogers threw six scoreless innings as the Hurricane offense contributed more than enough run support in a 13-0 mercy-rule victory at St. Albans. To read my article about the game in The Charleston Daily Mail, click here.
In addition to her performance on the mound, Rogers paced the Redskins in hitting. In the first inning, Rogers provided the only runs she would need for victory. Rogers blasted a two-run home run to left field giving Hurricane an early 2-0 advantage.
Hurricane added five more in the second inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
To recap the second-inning outburst:
Sophomore third baseman Emily Davis started the inning with a double. Freshman first baseman Maddie Hebb scored Davis on an RBI double to left field. With one out, Madi Casto hit a grounder to the Red Dragons shortstop. The throw to first base was high, pulling the first baseman from the bag and Casto was safe, as Hebb advanced to third on the play. Then, senior center fielder Nicole Pierson dropped a bunt to the pitcher. Hebb beat the throw to the plate, scoring to give the Redskins a 4-0 lead. Casto advanced to third base on the play. Pierson reached via the fielder's choice. Next up, sophomore shortstop Cassi Sargent hit an RBI single to left field. The St. Albans left fielder committed a fielding error on the play as Pierson and Sargent advanced to third and second, respectively. Finally, Rogers followed with a two-run double to cap the inning's scoring.
In the fourth inning, Hurricane appeared ready for another hit fest as Pierson led off with a single, followed by a walk to Sargent.
Next, a scary moment happened for the St. Albans defense on a ball hit by Rogers. Red Dragons shortstop Madi Marshall and center fielder Briana Pauley collided in short center field on a fly ball. There appeared to be confusion on who called for the catch. Marshall and Pauley ran into each other. It appeared Marshall took the worst of the collision immediately reaching toward her mouth and nose. The ball fell to the ground after it appeared it was initially caught. As a result, the bases were loaded with no outs.
What at first looked to be a brutal collision turned OK for both players involved. After approximately 10 minutes, play resumed with both players remaining in the lineup.
The break in the action proved beneficial to St. Albans pitcher Ali Haynes, as she retired the next three Hurricane batters in order to escape the threat.
Haynes, however, was not so fortunate in the sixth inning, when the Redskins struck for six more runs.
To recap the sixth inning:
Rogers started the rally with a one-out single to left field, her third hit of the game. Senior catcher Linzie Reynolds immediately followed with a two-run home run to center field. Next, junior Addie Fullen was hit by a pitch and Davis walked. Hebb, then, crushed a double off the right field fence scoring one, as Davis advanced to third. Later, with two outs, Casto hit an RBI single to left field scoring Davis. A fielding error on the left fielder allowed Hebb to score on the play and Casto advanced to second. Finally, Pierson hit an RBI single to center to score Casto as the game's final run.
The victory was much welcomed for the Redskins (21-4), who rebounded from a 4-2 loss at Ripley on Wednesday night.
“The past few games this week, we were struggling a little bit, but we got it together," Hebb said. "The loss kind of motivated us to want to win more, so I think we’ll keep getting better as the season goes along.”
Be sure to check Monday's Daily Mail sports section for a feature on Hebb's significant contributions in her freshman season.
Some additional news and notes on Thursday's Hurricane-St. Albans game.
-Rogers allowed just three hits, all singles. Those hits were by Marshall, third baseman Alyssa Bonham and Whitney Jones.
-With the win, Rogers improved her pitching record to 12-1.
-Haynes has accounted for every decision of the season for St. Albans, according to Red Dragons coach Greg Garber. Haynes is 19-4 on the season, as is St. Albans.
-Haynes pitched six innings, allowed 13 runs on 12 hits, walked five, struck out four and hit a batter. The Red Dragons defense did Haynes no favors with four errors.
-Since losing 12-2 to St. Albans in April 2012, Hurricane has not allowed a run against the Red Dragons in 18 consecutive innings played
Finally, below are some extra quotes from my post-game interviews with Caldwell, Rogers and Hebb, that did not make my article in Friday's Daily Mail.
Josh Caldwell, Hurricane coach
-on Rogers' performance
“She had a great game, threw the ball really well, gave up two hits I think, threw the ball great, kept them off-balance and hit the ball well, and that kind of, usually when she’s pitching well it comes around hitting well.”
-on team's hitting depth
“That’s one good thing about our lineup. There was one game, I think a week ago, I think our seven, eight, nine, the bottom was 7-for-8 in a game, so we have confidence, like I said, all throughout our order.”
Courtney Rogers, Hurricane sophomore pitcher
-on freshman Maddie Hebb's contributions
“She’s great. I love that she came here to play softball at Hurricane. It’s great that she’s hitting the ball and playing well.”
-on team's hitting success and offensive depth
“It’s just all of our practice that we do hitting. We hit for an hour a day at practice and one through 18, we just hit the ball. It doesn’t matter who we put in.”
“I feel confident, if we have two outs, bases loaded, in anyone that’s up to bat. I have confidence in any one of them.”
Maddie Hebb, Hurricane freshman first baseman
-on significance of defeating perennial power St. Albans
“It feels good. Every win feels good, but it feels even better whenever you play against one of the tougher teams. It makes you feel even better about yourself.”
-on keys to finishing season successfully
“Just keep backing each other up and hit the ball.”
Rogers threw six scoreless innings as the Hurricane offense contributed more than enough run support in a 13-0 mercy-rule victory at St. Albans. To read my article about the game in The Charleston Daily Mail, click here.
In addition to her performance on the mound, Rogers paced the Redskins in hitting. In the first inning, Rogers provided the only runs she would need for victory. Rogers blasted a two-run home run to left field giving Hurricane an early 2-0 advantage.
Hurricane added five more in the second inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
To recap the second-inning outburst:
Sophomore third baseman Emily Davis started the inning with a double. Freshman first baseman Maddie Hebb scored Davis on an RBI double to left field. With one out, Madi Casto hit a grounder to the Red Dragons shortstop. The throw to first base was high, pulling the first baseman from the bag and Casto was safe, as Hebb advanced to third on the play. Then, senior center fielder Nicole Pierson dropped a bunt to the pitcher. Hebb beat the throw to the plate, scoring to give the Redskins a 4-0 lead. Casto advanced to third base on the play. Pierson reached via the fielder's choice. Next up, sophomore shortstop Cassi Sargent hit an RBI single to left field. The St. Albans left fielder committed a fielding error on the play as Pierson and Sargent advanced to third and second, respectively. Finally, Rogers followed with a two-run double to cap the inning's scoring.
In the fourth inning, Hurricane appeared ready for another hit fest as Pierson led off with a single, followed by a walk to Sargent.
Next, a scary moment happened for the St. Albans defense on a ball hit by Rogers. Red Dragons shortstop Madi Marshall and center fielder Briana Pauley collided in short center field on a fly ball. There appeared to be confusion on who called for the catch. Marshall and Pauley ran into each other. It appeared Marshall took the worst of the collision immediately reaching toward her mouth and nose. The ball fell to the ground after it appeared it was initially caught. As a result, the bases were loaded with no outs.
What at first looked to be a brutal collision turned OK for both players involved. After approximately 10 minutes, play resumed with both players remaining in the lineup.
The break in the action proved beneficial to St. Albans pitcher Ali Haynes, as she retired the next three Hurricane batters in order to escape the threat.
Haynes, however, was not so fortunate in the sixth inning, when the Redskins struck for six more runs.
To recap the sixth inning:
Rogers started the rally with a one-out single to left field, her third hit of the game. Senior catcher Linzie Reynolds immediately followed with a two-run home run to center field. Next, junior Addie Fullen was hit by a pitch and Davis walked. Hebb, then, crushed a double off the right field fence scoring one, as Davis advanced to third. Later, with two outs, Casto hit an RBI single to left field scoring Davis. A fielding error on the left fielder allowed Hebb to score on the play and Casto advanced to second. Finally, Pierson hit an RBI single to center to score Casto as the game's final run.
The victory was much welcomed for the Redskins (21-4), who rebounded from a 4-2 loss at Ripley on Wednesday night.
“The past few games this week, we were struggling a little bit, but we got it together," Hebb said. "The loss kind of motivated us to want to win more, so I think we’ll keep getting better as the season goes along.”
Be sure to check Monday's Daily Mail sports section for a feature on Hebb's significant contributions in her freshman season.
Some additional news and notes on Thursday's Hurricane-St. Albans game.
-Rogers allowed just three hits, all singles. Those hits were by Marshall, third baseman Alyssa Bonham and Whitney Jones.
-With the win, Rogers improved her pitching record to 12-1.
-Haynes has accounted for every decision of the season for St. Albans, according to Red Dragons coach Greg Garber. Haynes is 19-4 on the season, as is St. Albans.
-Haynes pitched six innings, allowed 13 runs on 12 hits, walked five, struck out four and hit a batter. The Red Dragons defense did Haynes no favors with four errors.
-Since losing 12-2 to St. Albans in April 2012, Hurricane has not allowed a run against the Red Dragons in 18 consecutive innings played
Finally, below are some extra quotes from my post-game interviews with Caldwell, Rogers and Hebb, that did not make my article in Friday's Daily Mail.
Josh Caldwell, Hurricane coach
-on Rogers' performance
“She had a great game, threw the ball really well, gave up two hits I think, threw the ball great, kept them off-balance and hit the ball well, and that kind of, usually when she’s pitching well it comes around hitting well.”
-on team's hitting depth
“That’s one good thing about our lineup. There was one game, I think a week ago, I think our seven, eight, nine, the bottom was 7-for-8 in a game, so we have confidence, like I said, all throughout our order.”
Courtney Rogers, Hurricane sophomore pitcher
-on freshman Maddie Hebb's contributions
“She’s great. I love that she came here to play softball at Hurricane. It’s great that she’s hitting the ball and playing well.”
-on team's hitting success and offensive depth
“It’s just all of our practice that we do hitting. We hit for an hour a day at practice and one through 18, we just hit the ball. It doesn’t matter who we put in.”
“I feel confident, if we have two outs, bases loaded, in anyone that’s up to bat. I have confidence in any one of them.”
Maddie Hebb, Hurricane freshman first baseman
-on significance of defeating perennial power St. Albans
“It feels good. Every win feels good, but it feels even better whenever you play against one of the tougher teams. It makes you feel even better about yourself.”
-on keys to finishing season successfully
“Just keep backing each other up and hit the ball.”
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