SOFTBALL: A winning combo
Pardeeville's Ashley McLaughlin rounds second and heads for third base for one of her two triples in the game, while the Hustisford outfielders relay the ball back into the infield. McLaughlin and the Bulldogs beat the visiting Falcons, 8-0 on Thursday afternoon at Chandler Park. (Travis Houslet, Daily Register)
By Travis Houslet
Chapman and McLaughlin lead Pardeeville to victory
PARDEEVILLE — Natalia Chapman supplied the pitching, striking out 15 while giving up just one hit. Ashley McLaughlin supplied the offensive punch, going 2-for-3 with a pair of triples and scored three runs as the host Bulldogs rolled to an impressive 8-0 victory over Hustisford on Thursday afternoon in Chandler Park.
McLaughlin's first triple of the game led off the second inning and was followed by a double from Chapman to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. It was the first of four RBI on the night for Chapman, who took advantage of hitting behind the hot-swinging McLaughlin. Pardeeville added three more runs in the second inning, thanks in part to three consecutive walks.
After watching her team's eight-run outburst, Pardeeville head coach Heather Falkner said she was happy to see her squad start to snap out of an early-season offensive funk in resent weeks, something that she says has come from extra work in practice.
"We've been trying new strategies to get them to come around on the bat faster," Falkner said. "Before that they were just too slow and now their bats are getting quicker."
An improved offense has made the Bulldogs a tough team to beat, because they already have great pitching. Chapman, who threw a perfect game last week against Dodgeland, was once again throwing darts on Thursday. The only hit against her was a single from Amy Peplinski in the fourth inning. Chapman entered the game with a 2.59 earned-run average and has 138 strikeouts in 81 innings of work.
Pardeeville will wrap up the regular season tonight with a trip to Deerfield and then get ready to open the postseason with a regional game against a Waterloo team that is currently in first place in the Southern Capitol Conference. Falkner said her team is looking forward to the challenge.
"That will be a tough game, but I told the girls tonight, 'we just need to play our A-game.'" Falkner said "I think we can be competitive, if not win. Waterloo's a good team, but we are a darn good team too."
PARDEEVILLE 8, HUSTISFORD 0
Hustisford ..................... 000 000 0 — 0 1 4 Pardeeville ................... 041 120 X — 8 4 1
Pitchers — Will (L); Chapman (W). SO leaders — Chapman 15, Will 4.
Leading hitters — McLaughlin 2x3. 2B — Chapman (P), Stofflet (P). 3B — McLaughlin 2.
thouslet@capitalnewspapers.com
745-3518
