The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Milan launches season with split against strong Bulldogs
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2008
The Milan varsity softball team opened its season at home Tuesday with a solid punch.
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It was almost a knockout blow.
The Big Reds defeated a strong Chelsea team 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader, but fell 12-9 in the nightcap.
"We were just a couple runs away from sweeping Chelsea, which would have been huge," said coach Jen Jackson.
Splitting with Chelsea, though, was a big enough confidence boost for a Milan team that has high expectations this year.
In the opener, the Big Reds jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, relying on textbook softball to score.
Senior Tori Turner singled. Ashley Beal bunted her to second and Sarah Heath slapped a single up the middle to drive Turner home.
Heath, who earned her first win of the season, held Chelsea scoreless until the fourth, when they got a single run to tie the game. But Milan came right back in the fifth, again playing textbook ball.
Barbara Hubbard singled and Turner sacrificed her to second. Beal doubled for the RBI.
Eight Big Reds got one or more hits, including Nena Doran, Erin Costello and Amelia Budny.
"Everyone joined in the hitting fun," Jackson said. "I was extremely pleased to see everyone in the lineup making contact and good follow-through contact."
In a strong opening performance, Heath gave up only one walk and three hits, and Jackson said she was pleased with the defense behind Heath that held Chelsea to only one run.
The second game was a horse of another color. A slugfest.
Milan again jumped out to an early lead when Turner doubled and Beal singled, setting up Lani Ernst for a three-blast over the left-center field wall.
Chelsea came back to tie the game in the third, but Milan surged ahead again with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Chelsea closed the gap to 5-4 in the fourth and then unleashed for seven runs in the fifth.
"Chelsea swings the bat really well," said Jackson, "but I felt we gave them too many opportunities to continue hitting. We mad poor fielding decisions that cost us runs."
She was more than satisfied, however, with her team's offensive production.
Turner went 3-for-5 and Beal went 2-for-4. Heath continued having an enormous day, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and a triple. Doran went 2-for-4 and Hubbard 2-for-3. Freshman Vanessa Garcia had a double and Stephanye Quinn went 1-for-4.
The Big Reds are now 1-1 and opened Huron League play Wednesday on the road against Riverview.
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