Royals Sweep Bobcats

A young Whiteford Bobcats softball team l(0-6) ost more than two games when they were swept at Blissfield (2-2) Thursday, 5-0 and 11-3.

Bobcats’ senior pitcher Jessie Seevers dislocated her knee while taking off for first base in the fourth inning of the opening game.

Blissfield’s senior starter Hannah McEwan started and won both games for the Royals. She threw a three-hit shutout in the opener, striking out 12 and walking two. In the second game she allowed an earned run on four hits and a walk in five innings of work. Jessica Martinez pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Royals.

Seevers was charged for the loss in the first game. Freshman Jordan Kiefer gave up a run on three hits, striking out two, in three innings of relief. Brittni Collins took the loss in the second game.

McEwan overpowered the Bobcats in the opener. She struck out five of the first six batters. Blissfield struck first in the third inning. Lauren DeMille singled to lead off. She stole second. Lievens roped a single to centerfield and DeMille beat centerfielder Becky Worden’s throw to the plate. Lievens took second on the throw to the plate. McEwan lined a single to right field, scoring Lievens. Megan Knierim hit a grounder to third. Caitlin Granata threw it to second for an out. Zoe Brennan made scored Knierim with line drive double into the gap between right field and centerfield. Kassie Sauter followed with a ground ball through the shortstop’s legs, putting runners at first and third. Blissfield feigned a double steal, with Sauter taking off for second. The throw to second bounced into centerfield, allowing Brennan to score for a 4-0 lead.

Whiteford threatened in the top of the fourth. With one out, Bailey Spindler singled over shortstop. Granata followed with a long single to deep center. McEwan worked out of the jam by striking out Collins and getting Seevers to ground out. Seevers injured her knee after hitting the ball and starting towards first base.

Kiefer entered the game and pitched well. She induced Liz Jackson into a groundout. DeMille walked and stole second. Kiefer struck out Martinez the inning ended with Lievens popped out to the infield.

McEwan continued to overpower the Bobcats in the top of the fifth, striking out Worden and LaPointe while giving up a walk to Shelby DeShetler. Sauter led off Blissfield’s half of the inning with a single. Brennan followed with a line drive that was caught in the air by shortstop Abby LaRoy, who completed the double play with a throw to first base.

McEwan struck out LaRoy to start the sixth. Spindler popped out to pitcher’s mound. Granata hit a line drive single to right field. McEwan fanned Collins to end the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, Jackson walked and stole second. DeMille singled to center to score Jackson for a 5-0 lead. Zoe Brennan singled to put runners at the corners but Kiefer recorded the out to end the inning.

Worden’s one-out walk was all Whiteford could muster in the fifth. DeMille, Brennan and McEwan were all two-for-three with an RBI. DeMille scored a run and stole three bases. One of Brennan’s hits was a double.

Spindler, DeShetler and Granata accounted for Whiteford’s three hits.

Blissfield jumped to a 5-0 lead in the second game. DeMille walked. Sauter sacrifice bunted and reached base on a throwing error. Lievens jacked a three run home run to left center. On the very next pitch, Brennan followed with a solo homer to left center. Knierim singled and stole second. Chelsea Bateson singled. She stole second and then Knierim scored. Bateson took third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by the catcher.

The Royals expanded their lead in the fourth. Sauter reached first on a throwing error and then stole second and third. Lievens fly to deep center was dropped. Knierim singled, scoring Lievens. She took second on a ground out by Kylie Domschot. Bateson singled to drive her in, taking third on the throw. Jane Pearson drove her in with a sharply hit double.

In the fifth, DeMille singled, stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.

Knierim was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Bateson was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. DeMille was 1-for-2 with an RBI, two runs and two stolen bases. Lievens drove in four runs.

For Whiteford, Granata had a triple and two RBI. Worden doubled. Spindler, Megan Ortman and Liz Bond singled. Ortman drove in a run.