Mathias, Heinzmann combine on shutout as Lady Zs drub Culver Academy

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester softball seniors, from left, Mylee Heinzmann, Aubrey Miller and Jordyn Hackworth were honored in pregame ceremonies before the team’s 17-0 win in five innings over Academy at Fansler Field Saturday. Rochester then traveled to Tippecanoe Valley and lost 5-3. Rochester is ranked No. 7 in this week’s Class 2A coaches poll.

Kyleigh Little highlighted a 12-run first inning with a two-run triple, Brailyn Hunter went 3 for 3 with three RBIs, and Emma Mathias and Mylee Heinzmann combined on a three-hit shutout as the Rochester softball team celebrated senior day with a 17-0 win in five innings over Culver Academy at Fansler Field Saturday.

Mathias faced 13 batters – just one over the minimum – through the first four innings. She allowed two hits with no walks. She struck out eight, including five in a row at one point.

Heinzmann, who along with Aubrey Miller and Jordyn Hackworth were among the honored seniors before the game, made her first career pitching appearance. With Adalyn Gonzalez behind the plate, that gave Rochester an all-left-handed battery.

Heinzmann struck out Piper Brosius and got Reagan Whitaker on a grounder to short with Aubrey Wilson making a slick fielding play. She gave up a hit to Brielle Voves before getting Katie Smoltz on a liner back to the circle to end it.

Rochester sent 17 batters to the plate in the first inning and 10 more in the second to build a 16-0 lead. All six outs the Lady Zs made in the third and fourth innings came on step-offs.

The first inning burst started with an RBI single from Aubrey Wilson. Ali Field had an RBI fielder’s choice. Brailyn Hunter had an RBI single, Ali Field scored on a wild pitch, and Little had her triple to make it 6-0.

Audrey Widman, who started at third base, added an RBI infield single. Wilson reached on an error on a grounder to short and received an RBI. Jadyn Field reached on another error on a grounder to short and received an RBI. Ali Field was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 10-0. Another Hunter RBI single, and an RBI fielder’s choice grounder from Heinzmann made it 12-0.

Ali Field had an RBI walk, Hunter had another RBI single, and Heinzmann scorched a two-run single.

Widman got her second RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the fourth.

Mathias, who would pitch 3 ⅔ more scoreless innings in a 5-3 loss to Tippecanoe Valley later in the day, lowered her ERA to 4.12. She has 22 strikeouts in 17 innings.

“Emma really came in and did a great job for us in the circle,” Rochester coach Jim Coleman said. “She came in in a tough situation there against Valley and was able to get out of that jam and turn around in that fourth inning also. There was a situation where they had runners on, and she beared down and got a big strikeout with their cleanup hitter (Kaitlyn Threlkel) at the plate. So Emma’s one of those is a true competitor. If she can get the confidence, she can throw up against anybody.”

Rochester 17, Culver Academy 0 (5 innings)

Culver Academy 000 00 – 0 3 5

Rochester (12)40 1X – 17 14 0

WP – Emma Mathias (4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)

LP – Smith (2 IP, 12 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 4 BB, 2 HBP, 1 K)

3B – Kyleigh Little (RHS)