Eagle softball sweeps home quad

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SCORE UPDATE:

Milford 14, Syracuse 0 (Aug. 23)

 

After opening against one of the top teams in Class C, the Milford softball team swept its home quadrangular Aug. 20 and stands at 3-1 after the first week of the season.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” Coach Shelly Mowinkel said.

The Eagles took the field Aug. 18 at Yutan-Mead for the season opener. YM is ranked first and second in the preseason polls, Mowinkel said.

“Offensively, we did not produce well, but we played fantastic defense,” she said.

YM pitching held Milford to one hit, a single by Maeli Kubicek. Mowinkel was pleased with the team’s effort as it worked around a tough opponent and first-game jitters.

“That gave us a lot of confidence going into Saturday,” she said.

Aug. 20 was a gorgeous day for softball, the coach said. Milford started competition against Wilber-Clatonia and jumped on the WCHS pitcher early, scoring nine runs in the first inning en route to a 12-0 run-rule win.

“We hit the ball well,” Mowinkel said. “We were making contact and playing good defense.”

Izzy Yeackley, Addi Mowinkel, Macy Stutzman, Mekenzie Riley and Ayla Roth had two hits each.

Myranda Schildt pitched all three innings and struck out seven Wolverine batters.

Game two pitted the Eagles against Cass, and Milford won 7-4. Cass scored all four of its runs in the fourth inning on timely hits, Coach Mowinkel said.

“We played well on defense. Our errors didn’t seem to rattle us,” she said.

Riley Springer and Schildt shared the pitching duties in the game. Coach Mowinkel said bringing in Schildt in relief of Springer gave the Cass hitters a different look.

The final game of the day saw Milford hold on to defeat Nebraska City 8-7. NC led 4-0 after the third inning.

Milford scored all eight of its runs in the fifth. Both Roth and Kubicek hit their first career home runs in that inning, Coach Mowinkel said.

Camille Stauffer was 2-3 in the game. Kubicek drove in three runs, and Roth and Addi Mowinkel had two RBIs each.

Macy Stutzman made some good plays in the outfield, including two double plays. Addi Mowinkel had a good day at shortstop, committing no errors throughout the three games, the coach said.

Coach Mowinkel said the three wins were a good team effort.

“It was a great weekend. It was fun to take home the championship plaque,” she said. “The girls get to enjoy it until Monday; then we have to get better.”

The coach said the team’s senior leadership was important over the first four games. At times, the seniors took the lead in the team huddles, encouraging their teammates.

This year’s team theme is “play where your feet are,” Coach Mowinkel said. The seniors have embraced that and are encouraging their teammates to do the same.

“I’m very happy with our performance in the first week, but we’ve got a long ways to go,” Coach Mowinkel said.

Milford (3-1) was to travel to Syracuse Aug. 23 and then is off until Tuesday, Aug. 30, when it hosts Wilber-Clatonia at 6:30 p.m.