2-3, 2B, 2RBI, R vs. New Prague
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
The week began with an 8-2 loss to Chaska on Tuesday but things picked up from there with a convincing 11-3 payback romp over Northfield on Wednesday and a 6-0 shutout of New Prague on Thursday.
The 2-1 stretch raised the Tigers season record to 7-8 overall and 6-6 in the Missota Conference.
In the loss to Chaska the Tigers helped the Hawks' cause by committing six errors leading to six unearned runs.
A single by Alyssa Kalmes, a double by Dani Muelken and sacrifice fly by Allie Rice produced the Farmington runs.
At Northfield the following day, the Tigers avenged an earlier 5-3 loss to the Raiders by scoring six runs in the top of the second inning.
Muelken walked to start the inning and then Kalmes and Toni Hunsisnger followed with bunt hits to load the bases. Rice unloaded them in a hurry with a grand slam homer over the left-centerfield fence.
Later in the inning a single by Paige Lindrud, a double by Aleah Williamson and a two-run single by Ashley Betzold made it 6-0.
Rice knocked in another run in a two-run third inning and then singled and scored on an error in the sixth as the Tigers tacked on two more scores. Lindrud's sacrifice fly scored the second run of the inning.
Williamson's second double of the day followed by another two-bagger by Alyssa Hagen closed the scoring in the seventh.
Betzold scattered nine hits to post her sixth pitching victory, striking out three and allowing two earned runs.
Betzold twirled her third shutout of the season against New Prague, allowing seven hits while striking out five and walking two.
Taylor Yousse's bases-loaded walk and a two-run single by Lindrud staked Betzold to a three-run lead in the second inning.
Yousse singled and scored on a hit by Williamson in the third inning and also drove in a run with a double in the fifth. Muelken knocked in the final Tiger run in the sixth.
"It's always nice to win," coach Rob Laden said. "We've won three of four so that feels good and it's good to be building some momentum going into the playoffs.
"With our two games tomorrow we will have played 12 games in 12 days with four outdoor practices all season...All games and no practices make it hard to work on things."
