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del.icio.usMaize continues softball streak
BY JOANNA CHADWICK
The Wichita Eagle
Maize's sweep at the hands of Arkansas City in the season's second doubleheader seems oh-so long ago. The Eagles have improved so drastically that coach Jenny Meirowsky can only see positives.
"I don't have much to complain about," Meirowsky said with a laugh.
Especially not after Monday's 7-0, 4-1 sweep of Bishop Carroll at Two Rivers Youth Club. Maize has won 13 of its last 14 games.
The Eagles' pitching duo of Courtney White and Kaitlyn Kern was stellar. White, who threw 75 strikes on 100 pitches in the first game, struck out two and didn't allow a walk.
Maize's hitting was just as impressive, pounding out 25 hits on the night.
And it wasn't just at the top of the order. While No. 4 hitter Jess Viramontez was 3 for 4 with three RBIs in Game 1, No. 6 hitter Devon McCreath was 3 for 3 and No. 8 hitter Cara Mattson was 2 for 4 with a solo home run.
And that came against Carroll's ace, Katie Armagost.
In the second game, Mattson was 3 for 4, as was catcher Taylor Funk, batting in the five-hole.
"We are hitting well all up and down our lineup," Meirowsky said.
"We've been working on hitting a lot," Funk said. "We lost two straight to Ark City, so we knew we had to do something to turn it around. We practice hitting a lot -- practice, practice, practice."
As crucial as pitching and offense was against Carroll, the key to Maize's victory was defense.
White gave up 10 hits in the first game and Carroll had runners in scoring position seven times, including a bases loaded situation with one out in the second inning.
But Maize made plays. While White got out of the second unscathed with a strikeout and a flyout, in the third inning, she was helped when the Eagles threw out a runner at home.
In the fifth inning, McCreath backhanded a shot by Armagost to get the out. On a low pop fly behind home plate, Funk dove back to catch it for an out in the sixth.
The second game was no different, as shortstop Kaity Riffel made multiple plays, including one in the seventh where she dove to her left and then flipped the ball to Kayla Becker at second for the out.
"We'd get (runners) in scoring position and then we'd line drive out to someone," Carroll coach Jennifer Unrein said. "Their shortstop played the best game, she was playing great."
Carroll faltered defensively, though, committing five errors in the first game, two in the second.
Part of the problem with Carroll's defense is youth -- the Eagles had five freshmen starting in the first game, including at short and second base. Those two players were moved up Monday to replace starters who didn't play after breaking team rules.
Maize 7, Carroll 0
| Maize | 003 202 0 -- 7 13 1 |
| Carroll | 000 000 0 -- 0 10 5 |
Maize 4, Carroll 1
| Maize | 001 020 1 -- 4 12 1 |
| Carroll | 000 100 0 -- 1 10 2 |
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