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  • Mankato East's Jordan Kuster makes a catch during their game against Winona Saturday at Thomas Park. Pat Christman

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  • Mankato East's Coley Ries is congratulated by her teammates after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of their game against Winona Saturday at Thomas Park. Pat Christman

    East softbl2_5-13.jpg

May 12, 2012

East blanks Winona twice in softball

By Denny Weller Special to The Free Press

MANKATO — After having its 15-game winning streak halted earlier last week, the Mankato East softball team started a new one Saturday afternoon at Thomas Park by sweeping a Big Nine Conference doubleheader from Winona by identical 7-0 scores.

East, which dropped a rain-shortened decision to Mankato West, wasted little time in taking charge against Winona, as senior right-hander Coley Ries flirted with a no-hitter and smacked a two-run homer.

“We came out right away and set the tone,” Ries said. “When we do that we usually do a pretty good job because our defense is solid.

“I’ve been having some pretty good at-bats lately so I just went up there trying to get a hit. I happened to get all of it so that was fun.”

Junior catcher Savannah Quandt, who laced three of the Cougars’ nine hits off losing pitcher Roni Lafky, got things rolling with a bunt single. Quandt advanced to second base on Carolyn Osdoba’s bunt and scored on Jordan Kuster’s double to right-center field. Ries then launched a towering shot over the left-center field fence to give the Cougars a 3-0 cushion.

East added two unearned runs in the second frame behind three hits — Allison Taylor, Bridget Sargent and Quandt — along with a two-out Winhawks’ error. Sargent, a senior right fielder, collected a pair of hits and scored two runs for the Cougars. Quandt rocketed a double off the base of the left-field fence in the fourth before Kuster delivered a sacrifice fly to make it a 6-0 contest.

“We were moving the ball around and scoring runs,” Sargent said. “We’ve been working well together as a team and at keeping each other up when we’re not doing so great. We lost a lot of seniors last year so we’ve been working on filling any holes we can.

“I was a little nervous knowing I had a position this year and was going to play each game. I try to run down everything I can in the outfield and then get on base to help the team.

“We just need to keep hitting and making the plays. ... just getting the ball where it needs to go.”

While East’s offense was keeping the pressure on the Winhawks, Ries was cruising through the Winona lineup before senior second baseman Makala Hansen ripped a single up the middle to start the seventh inning. Junior Megan Ulrich came in to get the final three outs, allowing an infield single to Kaitlyn Kanne while recording two strikeouts.

“I just let a rise ball stay down over the middle of the plate,” Ries said. “When that happens you’re asking for them to hit it.

“Before that I was moving it around and when I had two strikes on them I was keeping it out off the plate. ... That one just kind of stayed over.”

Ries set down the first seven Winhawks before a passed ball on a strikeout produced Winona’s first runner. After retiring the next 10 hitters, Hansen ruined the no-hit bid which brought in Ulrich. Ries fanned 12 and walked none in throwing 73 pitches over her six-inning stint.

“We don’t have any easy outs in our lineup right now,” East coach Joe Madson said. “Bridget played a lot of defense for us last year but didn’t get to bat a ton and it takes a special kid to be a good hitter when you’re not getting a lot of at bats.

“She’s like our second lead-off hitter and that’s why we like to have her in that No. 9 spot. She has quick hands, a good swing and she can also run well and bunt.”

In Game 2, the Cougars scored three times in the fourth inning and twice in the fifth to make a winner out of Ries, who gave up only a lead-off single to Crystal Franzwa while striking out nine and walking none in five innings of work. Ulrich finished things off, striking out three and giving up one hit over the final two frames.

Quandt laced a pair of doubles and drove in a run for the winners while Osdoba sparked the fourth-inning surge with a two-run single. Kuster and Katie Snyder ripped two hits apiece for the Cougars, who ended up with nine base hits.

East (17-1, 12-1 in Big Nine) plays a nonconference game Tuesday at Prior Lake.

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