MANKATO — With two of the top pitchers in the Big Nine Conference going against each other, and an intermittent rain and wind covering the field, Tuesday’s Mankato East-West softball game figured to be a low-scoring affair.
It proved to be just that as West’s Kendra Huettl outdueled Laura Vanderhoof for a 2-0 Scarlets’ win. Huettl finished with a no-hitter, allowing just one base runner on a seventh-inning infield error. She struck out 11 and faced just one batter over the minimum.
“She’s been lights out this year,” West coach Don Krusemark said of Huettl. “I think she gave up only two hits in her last game so she’s throwing very well.”
Vanderhoof matched Huettl for two innings before West scored their two runs in the bottom of the third. Amanda Fedson ignited a two-out rally by bouncing a base hit through the hole on the left side. The next batter, Erica Ramus, bounced to third and beat out the throw to first for an infield hit.
The throw got away from first baseman Martha Sorenson and, when Ramus found herself in a rundown between first and second, Fedson came all the way around to score. Ramus scored a few minutes later on an infield error.
“I can’t say I thought those two runs were going to be enough, but I knew with the way Kendra was pitching it was going to be tough for East to match it,” Krusemark said. “She did a nice job of moving the ball around the plate all game.”
Fedson agreed: “Anytime you give Kendra a two-run lead there’s a good chance you’re going to win. We just played good defense behind her and that was all we needed.”
Fedson had two of West’s four hits. The other two hits came from Ramus and Leigh Weber.
“I felt pretty good today,” Huettl said. “I threw a lot of curves and risers and everything was working pretty well.
“You always get a little more pumped up when you play your crosstown rivals. The ball stayed pretty dry so the rain wasn’t much of a factor.”
Vanderhoof also pitched a good game, giving up four singles, striking out seven and walking one. Baylea Kannmacher was the Cougars’ only runner, smacking a hard-hit ball to first that Weber got a glove on but couldn’t handle.
The win lifts West to 6-0. The Scarlets play again Thursday at Rochester Mayo.
East is home at 5 p.m. Thursday with a Big Nine game against Albert Lea.
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Pat Christman
April 19, 2006
Huettl no-hits Cougars
Scarlets pitcher strikes out 11, outduels Vanderhoof; West scores twice in third
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