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Softball team continues hot streak

By Keith Burner - | Apr 25, 2001

The softball team is absolutely on fire.

After opening its season with three straight losses, Tonganoxie High School’s softball team has surged to win seven in a row, including all four games last week.

The team’s record is now 7-3.

And though much of this success stems from an ever-increasing proficiency at the plate, Coach Mark Mall said that his team has been playing hotter on the defensive side of the ball.

“More than just pitching, the defense has really been getting it done,” he said. “There’s just no holes there.”

And though the team’s stingy defense has committed either one or no errors in each of its last seven games, the Chieftains’ bats were singing April 17 against De Soto.

In that two-game sweep, Tonganoxie outscored the Wildcats 15-4. Michelle McWilliams led the Chieftains in batting against De Soto, grabbing five hits in the doubleheader.

Katie Jeannin took the mound in both games, helping the Chieftains take a 9-2 victory in the first game and a 6-2 victory in the second.

The two wins propelled Jeannin’s record to 4-3.

Thursday at Atchison, Tonganoxie’s defense was a brick wall. It allowed no runs to score in either game, and Katie Jeannin threw a no-hitter in game one.

In game one, a 3-0 win, Jeannin threw seven strikeouts, but it was the strong team play that allowed Jeannin to record the no-hit game.

Solid team defense kept Atchison off base, Mall said. That defense accounted for 14 outs.

Atchison played solid defensive in the first game as well, but its pitching wasn’t quite up to Jeannin’s level.

Though Atchison allowed few Chieftain hits, the team walked too many Tonganoxie batters. So Tonganoxie was able to score three times, despite having an off game at the plate.

In the second game, however, Tonganoxie again found its offensive rhythm, and the defense kept up its tough play, as the team cruised to a 10-0, five-inning victory.

“The girls have really responded well this season,” Mall said. “They’re starting to come together as a team.”

Against Atchison, four girls found their rhythms. Heather Beach, Laura Korb, Kim Newton and Jeannie Bundy each had three hits in the doubleheader.

Mall said that Andrea Korb’s play as catcher was a big part of the team’s success at Atchison.

“Andrea Korb did a great job calling the defensive plays and working with Katie,” Mall said.

Jeannin’s record stands at 6-3. In one week, her earned run average has dropped from 2.70 to 1.88.

The team’s next game is 4:30 p.m. Thursday versus Perry-Lecompton.