15-hit attack helps TMB make quick work of Wolverines
Each time a TMB softball player reaches first base, assistant softball coach Billy Dean reaches into his pocket for some candy and gives the player a treat.
Last Friday against MACCRAY, he would’ve run out, had it not been for so many Panther extra-base hits that led to a dozen runs in a 12-0 shellacking of MACCRAY.
TMB exploded for 15 hits, including seven that went for extra bases, and made the win look easy as Gretchen Lanoue allowed just two hits in five innings of work.
“I thought our hitting was very good today,” TMB coach Karl Campbell said. “We came in Wednesday, set up two pitching machines — one in the cage, one in the field — we changed up speeds on one of them … we hit, hit, hit and hit in practice. It looked like we hit a lot that day. That was the game plan for Lac qui Parle, but we didn’t get that practice because of rain threats.”
Melaina Ankrum led off the game with a triple, followed by Lanoue (single), Aliyah Loftness (hit by pitch), Braelynn Kirk (single) Piper Freeburg (fielder’s choice) and Brianna Duscher (single). That all led to four runs, but that was only the beginning.
TMB pushed across another four runs on four hits in the second, including a two-run Lanoue triple and a double by Kendra Timmerman, and four more in the third inning that included doubles by Avery Torgeson and Ankrum and a triple by Timmerman.
“I was happy that we hit the ball the way we did; my mindset coming into this game was, ‘We’ve gotta learn how to hit,’” said Campbell, whose offense typically revolves more around on bunting than swinging away. “We’ve gotta be able to hit, and honestly we only have one player on the team that’s consistently getting the bunt down. Yes, we’re swinging more and bunting less right now, but that doesn’t mean that won’t change.”
Campbell was happy that Thursday’s hita- palooza included numerous hits by players who have struggled at the plate this year.
“Our bottom end of the line-up has not been good the last two weeks,” Campbell said. “But Kendra hit the ball hard, Avery’s first at-bat — she’s been struggling — hit a hard line drive right at somebody and managed to put some balls in play compared to weak contact before, and somebody thats really been hitting the ball well that last week is Duscher —she’s been really having some good at-bats.”
TMB’s Nos. 4-9 hitters were a combined 6-for-12 with four runs scored.
Ankrum also doubled and singled and scored three times, and Duscher, Rosa Vang, Lanoue and Timmerman all had two hits and scored seven runs between them.
Lanoue earned the win in the circle, pitching all five innings. She allowed just two hits and only two MACCRAY baserunners reached second base.
“I was pleased with how Gretchen rebounded with a good performance (after the LQPV game) under windy conditions,” Campbell said. “She was able to throw strikes for us. And our defense was pretty sound today.”
MACCRAY 000 00 — 0 2 1 TMB 444 0x — 12 15 1 Lanoue and Freeburg. 3B: Ankrum, Timmerman, Lanoue. 2B: Lanoue, Timmerman. HBP: Loftness.
AVERY TORGESON tries to complete a double play for the Panthers. The MACCRAY runner just beat out her throw at first base.
PIPER FREEBURG connects for a hit against MACCRAY last Thursday.
TMB RIGHTFIELDER KATELYNN RUPPERT catches the final out of the Panthers’ win over MACCRAY.
