J. Field homers, drives in 4, Rensberger strikes out 10 as Lady Zs beat Maconaquah

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Jadyn Field Adalyn Gonzalez

BUNKER HILL — The Rochester softball team might be dealing with a team-wide illness, but they are not getting sick of winning.

Jadyn Field singled and homered and drove in four runs, and Bria Rensberger pitched a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts as the Class 2A, No. 9 Lady Zs routed Maconaquah 13-1 in five innings Thursday.

Adalyn Gonzalez had two hits and two RBIs, and Aubrey Miller had two hits and an RBI. Gabby Medina had a hit and an RBI, and Aubrey Wilson and Emma Mathias each had an RBI.

Rensberger added two hits and two runs scored.

Haylee Scarlett went 2 for 2 and drove in Maconaquah’s only run with an RBI double to deep left center in the third inning.

After Scarlett’s double, Rensberger retired seven of the final eight batters she faced. The only baserunner she allowed during that time was Ireland Kile, who reached on a two-base error in the fourth but was thrown out trying to reach third on the play on a pinpoint relay throw from Mylee Heinzmann.

And by then, Maconaquah trailed by 12 runs anyway.

Heinzmann played second base but was the flex player. Rochester coach Jim Coleman said that was due to health-related reasons, and he added that she was not the only sick player.

“Well, her big thing is she’s getting over an illness,” Coleman said. “We’ve had the flu bug go through the team. I sent her home from practice last night. Just listening to her, you could tell she was struggling to breathe and everything. So just a lot of nasal congestion-type of stuff. Audrey Widman wasn’t with us tonight. She was also sick and wasn’t at school. Aubrey Miller is getting over that bug. Aubrey Wilson also. So I’m trying to give players a little bit of time off as we could just to help them get over this bug.”

Rochester was already up 3-1 when they scored 10 runs in the fourth off Maconaquah pitcher Kasey Murry.

Rensberger led off with a bloop single, and Brailyn Hunter singled to right-center to move Rensberger to second. Ali Field walked to load the bases.

Gabby Medina then singled through the hole on the left side to score Rensberger.

Emma Mathias lofted a sacrifice fly to center field, and when the ball was dropped for an error, all runners moved up one base with Hunter scoring. It was 5-1.

Miller then sent a hard grounder through the right side for an RBI single. Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to force in another run.

Wilson then sent a pop to shallow center. The umpire called for the infield fly rule. Shortstop Scarlett made the catch, but Mathias tagged up and scored to make it 8-1.

Jadyn Field then torched a line-drive, three-run homer to right-center to make it 11-1.

Rensberger followed with her second hit of the inning. Hunter walked. Ali Field singled to move Rensberger to third, but Hunter overran second base and was caught in a rundown and tagged out.

Medina then reached on an error after a wild throw to first on an infield grounder. Rensberger and Ali Field scored on the play to make it 13-1.

Murry got seven ground ball outs in the first three innings but only one in the fourth.

“The big reason for that is we were swinging at pitches that were either below our knees or right at our knees,” Coleman said. “Our pitch selection was not very good in the first three innings, and we weren’t waiting for the ball. We were out on our front foot, and we had no lower half in our swings. Thankfully, Maconaquah waited on us to get our bats going. We didn't adjust nearly as quick as what we need to. And like I told the team, we’ve got a good Southwood team waiting on us tomorrow. We’ve got to adjust and be more mentally ready than we were tonight.”

Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the game was played under unusual circumstances. There was only one umpire. Not only did he call balls and strikes, but he hustled out from his crouch when the ball was put in play so he could make the calls on the bases. Displaying a good-humored disposition, he even tended to an appeal on a check-swing by putting his cap on backwards and making the safe sign to say “no swing,” which elicited a chuckle from the teams and spectators.

There was also a rain delay of approximately seven minutes in the second inning.

Rochester took a 1-0 lead in the first when Gonzalez singled, stole second and went to third on Jadyn Field’s RBI single.

After the rain delay, Miller led off the top of the third with a bloop single to left and stole second. Gonzalez roped a triple to deep left-center to easily score Miller. The throw to third was dropped by the third baseman and trickled just far enough away for Gonzalez to scamper home and make it 3-0.

“I was just looking to get a base hit, just get on base so that my other teammates could hit me in or something like that,” Gonzalez said. “I tripped on second base there. … I remember last time there was a game I got thrown out at third against North Miami. … My coach was telling me to score, and I also saw the ball go a little over to the grass, so I thought I could score.”

Along with Ali Field and Kyleigh Little, Gonzalez is one of three freshmen receiving extensive playing time.

“I feel like a lot of us girls have really good bonds,” Gonzalez said. “I feel like we all get along really, really well, and I always like to show up to practices and games because I always love talking to all my friends. I like to hang out with upperclassmen a lot. They’re really friendly and welcoming to us freshmen.”

Murry and Scarlett had back-to-back doubles in the bottom half, but Rensberger fanned Kaitlynn Bunch and got Shaela Brazzel on a grounder to short to end the inning.

Rochester 13, Maconaquah 1 (5 innings)

Rochester 102 (10)0 – 13 11 2

Maconaquah 001 00 – 1 3 4

WP – Bria Rensberger (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)

LP – Kasey Murry (5 IP, 11 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K)

3B – Adalyn Gonzalez (RHS)

HR – Jadyn Field (RHS)