Tomahawk softball tops Seagulls

Coming off of tough one-run decisions against them, the Tomahawk softball team bounced back with a solid league victory over Everett.

By Danielle Szulczewski • April 8, 2009 3:53 pm
Sophomore pitcher Riley Fritz threw a complete game in the Tomahawks' win over the Seagulls. She earned four strikeouts and allowed five hits.
Sophomore pitcher Riley Fritz threw a complete game in the Tomahawks' win over the Seagulls. She earned four strikeouts and allowed five hits.

EVERETT — Coming off of tough one-run decisions against them, the Tomahawk softball team bounced back with a solid league victory over Everett.

Marysville defeated the Seagulls in a see-saw April 7 game, 5-3 at Everett’s Lincoln Field.

The girls were wrapping up a three-game spell against teams favored for the league championship.

“The Arlington game, we each gave up three hits,” said M-P coach K.T. Allyn, of the game the Tomahawks lost 1-0. “It’s a matter of putting them in the same inning.”

Hits weren’t a problem against Everett. The top of the Tomahawk batting order did well what it is supposed to do. Junior second baseman Jen Rosie got on base in the top of the first as she and shortstop Megan Rollings earned back-to-back hits on pitcher Alexandra Hutson. Rosie gave Marysville a 1-0 lead, getting the run on an error.

In the top of the third, left fielder Sacha Clow hit a double that bounced over the center field fence and the Tommies went on to load the bases, but it was Everett who scored in the third inning. The Gulls started off the inning with a hit and put a second runner on thanks to a fielding error. Both runners were batted in for a 2-1 Everett lead, but Tomahawk pitcher Riley Fritz and the Tomahawk defense buckled down, forcing the next two batters to fly out.

The Tomahawk girls went through their entire lineup in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Facing two outs, Fritz got the offense rolling with a single to right field. Clow and one-hole batter Jessica Tanigawa loaded the bases, setting up Rosie’s two-run single to a hole in left field past Everett shortstop Valerie Stahl. With a walk of Rollings, the bases were loaded again for clean-up batter Courtney Perrine, who added two more runs with a single to the same spot Rosie exploited.

Everett scored a third run when the Tommies’ effort to stop a steal of second base resulted in an error, but once again the Tomahawk defense left Everett with runners stranded on base.

M-P came out ready to take advantage of its familiarity with its opponent.

“On defense, obviously, it starts on the mound,” Allyn said. “We try to pitch to the hitters’ weaknesses.”

Of the Tomahawks’ first four batters, Tanigawa, Rollings and Perrine got on base three times. Perrine and Rosie were 2-for-4 at bat with two RBI each.