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| Carly Esselman had one of the three Tiger hits (photo by Jim Lindquist) |
Farmington (5-4) saw its Missota Conference record dip to 3-2 after a 3-0 shutout loss to New Prague Monday afternoon at Tiger Field.
The Tigers managed just three singles off the right-handed offerings off Trojan righthander Nicole Reed who struck out 15 batters, including the last seven she faced.
"One problem is we haven't seen much of that type of pitcher yet," Tiger coach Paul Harrington said of the hard-throwing Reed. "It doesn't help that the last pitcher we faced threw about half that speed...I think things will look a little different when we see her (Reed) the second time around."
Tiger pitcher Maddie Muelken didn't record as many strikeouts but she pitched well enough to keep the Trojans off the board through the first four innings.
Then with two out and no one on in the fifth, New Prague manufactured two unearned runs on two infield hits and an error.
The Trojans added an insurance score in the sixth inning on a lead-off double and run-scoring single.
Muelken had two of the three Farmington hits in the game, both singles. Carly Esselman's two-out single in the third inning was the only other Farmington safety.
Muelken went the distance in the circle in the losing effort, allowing five hits and one earned run. She struck out six and walked only one.
Tuesday the Tigers entertain Northfield in another conference game and Wednesday they head to Red Wing for a doubleheader with the Wingers.
