Rensberger fans 17 in shutout over Bremen

Wilson’s delivers go-ahead RBI with 6th inning double

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Bria Rensberger Aubrey Miller

Bria Rensberger pitched a two-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts, and she also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly as the Rochester softball team beat Bremen 2-0 at Fansler Field Saturday.

Rensberger struck out six consecutive batters at one point covering the first through the third innings. She struck out every batter in the Bremen lineup at least once. No Bremen batter got as far as second base.

Rochester improved to 9-3. Bremen fell to 

She yielded only Chrissy Grabowski’s leadoff single in the fourth and Isabella Calentine’s bunt single to lead off the seventh.

After Calentine’s bunt single, Rensberger struck out Kali Milleman and Peyton Johnson before retiring Emma Flora on a grounder to second base to end the game.

Rensberger was coming off an outing against Twin Lakes Friday in which she retired all 13 batters she faced, including 11 strikeouts.

“I would definitely say so,” Rochester coach Jim Coleman said when asked if Rensberger improved even from the Twin Lakes game. “Her off-speed pitches were really working today. It was something she’s been focusing on. She definitely hit more of her spots. She’s been nursing a little bit of a sore knee, so for her to gut through seven innings with 17 Ks was quite impressive.”

Meanwhile, Grabowski had a shutout through five innings before the Lady Zs (9-3) broke through in the sixth.

Aubrey Miller singled and stole second and third. Aubrey Wilson then scorched a hard ground ball past the shortstop that traveled all the way to the fence for an RBI double. It was the only extra-base hit of the game.

Miller’s 19 stolen bases rank her among the state leaders, according to MaxPreps.com.

“Anytime, we can get Aubrey on with her speed works in our favor,” Coleman said. “She hit the ball well last night as well, right at the shortstop on the one and then a sharp one-hopper to the third baseman. So she’s doing a great job of putting the bat on the ball, and when we can get her on base with our 2-3-4-5-6 and so on coming up, I like our odds. She’s a huge piece to our puzzle with her speed at the top of our order complementing Darah Strasser in our nine hole.”

Wilson then stole third and scored on Rensberger’s sacrifice fly to center.

In the circle, Rensberger walked Kenzie Scott to lead off the game, but Jadyn Field gunned her down trying to steal. Then came the six straight strikeouts. Then she walked Aubri O’Keefe with one out in the third, but she struck out Macie Binkley and Scott to end the inning.

After Grabowski’s single in the fourth, Rensberger retired eight straight batters before Grabowski reached again in the sixth on an error. Rensberger then got Delainey Neher on a routine comebacker to the circle to retire the side.

“Definitely my curve ball and my high-and-inside fastball,” Rensberger said when asked what pitches were working.

Rensberger hurt her finger while batting against Winamac April 15 and did not pitch again until facing Southwood Wednesday.

“One thing with me when I come off an injury, I tend to throw a lot better,” Rensberger said. “I think that’s just because I get a lot of rest. But overall, I don’t think it really affected me too much because I like to be on the field, and I didn’t want to keep my break longer than what it was.”

Heinzmann returns…but then gets hurt again

Junior second baseman Mylee Heinzmann did not start the game but entered as a defensive replacement and went 0 for 1 at the plate. Heinzmann had not played since a game against Winamac April 15 due to a foot injury. However, Grabowski hit her with a pitch in the hand in the sixth inning, and she left the game with a new injury.

Rochester 2, Bremen 0

Bremen 000 000 0 – 0 2 0

Rochester 000 002 X – 2 7 1

WP – Bria Rensberger (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 17 K)

LP – Chrissy Grabowski (6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K)

2B – Aubrey Wilson (RHS)