Ashley Betzold 4th pitching victory
(photos by Jim Lindquist)
Farmington won for the second time in as many days, posting an eight-inning 9-6 win Wednesday, May 4, in Red Wing.
The victory brought the Tigers' season and Missota Conference record back up to the .500 mark at 4-4.
Coach Rob Laden whose day job is in the restaurant business was elated with the win by his young team but admitted that it might cost him in the long run.
"I told the girls if they win three in a row that I was going to make them a steak dinner," he said.
Because of the recent busy schedule, Laden opted to give regular pitcher Ashley Betzold a day off and started Toni Hunsinger in the circle.
The Tigers gave Hunsinger some early breathing room by scoring four runs in the top of the first on singles by Alyssa Hagen, Betzold, Alyssa Kalmes, Taylor Yousse and Dani Muelken.
Hunsinger pitched shutout ball through two innings before the Wingers got back in the game with a three-run third.
Muelken's double and a couple of ground outs made it 5-3 in the top of the fourth but Red Wing answered with two scores in the bottom of the inning to tie the count heading into the fifth.
The teams were deadlocked 6-6 after six innings and by then Betzold was back in her familiar position on the rubber.
The contest was decided in the top of the first extra frame when two Winger errors, a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Hakana and Aleah Williamson's second double of the game scored two runs. Williamson later scored on the third Red Wing error of the inning.
Williamson, Betzold, Muelken and Yousse each had two hits for the winners who finished with nine hits. Williamson drove in three runs.
Betzold picked up her fourth win of the season, pitching four innings of three-hit relief. She struck out five and did not issue a walk.
The two-game winning streak (and the steak dinner) will be on the line Thursday when the Tigers travel to Nortfield to take on the Raiders.
