×
×
homepage logo

Softball team at .500 after wins

By Matt Friedrichs - | Apr 12, 2000

Coaches don’t like coming from behind. Coaches also don’t like losing.

Twice last week the Tonganoxie softball team came from behind to beat Atchison.

While he would have preferred a different kind of victory, Mark Mall, Tonganoxie softball coach, will take the wins any way he can get them.

“When we’re down a few runs, we’re staying positive and working at it,” Mall said.

In the first game Thursday, Tonganoxie trailed 6-3. Tonganoxie fought back to tie the score, and in the bottom of the seventh, Sarah Subelka drove in Jenny Crain for the winning run.

Sammy Schiltz got the win for the Chieftains, allowing five earned runs. She struggled with her control early and gave up six walks while only striking out two batters.

Deaven Workman was 3-3, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Heather Beach was 2-4, scoring twice and driving in a run.

The second game was another come-from-behind victory. Atchison led 5-0. Tonganoxie took a 7-5 lead. Atchison jumped in front again 8-7.

With two outs in the bottom of the last inning, Tonganoxie scored two runs and escaped with an 8-7 win.

Laura Samuels got the win. She allowed 16 hits, walked four batters and struck out one.

Workman was 1-4, again scoring twice and driving in two runs. Leslie Starcher scored and drove in two while going 2-4 at the plate.

Earlier in the week, the Chieftains won a game at Gardner-Edgerton against a team that has made state appearances

“Their pitching wasn’t as strong, but that was a big win for us,” Mall said.

Gardner-Edgerton won the first game 11-7. Tonganoxie won the second game 13-10.

The Chieftains played Tuesday at Perry-Lecompton.

Junior varsity
The junior varsity girls opened the season with 16-6 and 10-6 wins against Jefferson West.

Last week they lost two games to Gardner-Edgerton, 14-1 and 19-4.

Thursday they beat Atchison 6-5 in the first game and lost 14-6 in the second game.

Up next
The varsity and junior varsity play Lansing at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

The varsity plays at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Oskaloosa.

The team will play two games, including one game against Oskaloosa, and one game will be against Valley Falls.