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Stevens Sweeps Newport

By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
NEWPORT- Under perfect conditions, the 12th annual Newport vs Stevens twi-light double header kicked off in the sunshine town with Stevens stealing all the highlights, winning both games. Missy Nichols’ Cardinal soft ballers took care of business with a 5-2 win on the road then came home under the lights and made it 2 for 2 with a 10-4 win.

GAME ONE

Kiley Bundy’s first pitch smash over the left field fence put the Lady Cardinals ahead in loud fashion. “I was looking for a good pitch, she gave me a good pitch and it felt really good when it left the bat,” said Bundy. Stevens wasn’t done after Bundy’s dinger, as Bri Frisbee took a walk, then Cardinal freshman Zoie Stevens showed some power and gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead with a home run of her own plating Frisbee.

Newport would make some noise in their half of the first to cut the Stevens lead to 3-1. Alexis Durgin’s sharp single was followed up with a smash off the lumber from Tonya Sanchez, scoring Durgin before Cardinals freshman hurler Mia Herbert settled into a nice groove and coasted for the next 2 innings.

Newport would cut into the Cardinal lead with a run in the 3rd when Peyton Blackinton drew a walk, Sanchez would hit a liner to Frisbee at short that advanced Blackinton. Katie Sharon’s RBI scored Blackinton and the Tigers were only a run from tying the game. “We just need to do the simple things, and execute,” said Newport head coach Sam McNeel.

The Tigers’ Sanchez was mowing the Cardinals down with a great fastball and she mixed her pitches up while the freshman battery of Stevens kept the Tigers in check. But a huge play in the bottom of the 6th inning kept the Cards in the lead.

Cheyanne Hannum ended up on third for Newport as the ball skipped around the infield after a hot smash to right field. McNeel called for a bunt from Maddie Norris who pushed it down in the infield dirt towards Herbert as Stevens positioned herself to stop Hannum who was running full speed toward home on contact. A perfect toss from Herbet to Stevens got the tag on Hannum with dust covering the play before the out signal from the umpire ending the Tiger threat. “That play was huge, we needed that,” said Nichols.

Stevens put some insurance runs on the board as Kenzie Brown started the Cardinal 7th heading to first after getting hit by a pitch before a double off the bat of Elise Smith was followed by a Frisbee RBI giving the Cardinals a 5-2 cushion heading into the last of the 7th.

McNeel opted to have his batters attempt to lay down bunts in their last at bats which resulted in a 1-2-3 final inning and securing a 5-2 Cardinal win. Herbert would fan 7 and give up 6 hits while going the distance for the win while Sanchez would wiff 10 Cardinals allowing 5 hits.

“This is such a good rivalry and a great game, Newport is a solid team and today we had timely hits and our bats got hot when they needed to,” said Nichols.

GAME TWOCLAREMONT- Newport scratched across two early runs under the lights but the Cardinals Mia Herbert only got stronger as the night went on, ending the night with eight strikeouts, zero walks, seven hits and four runs. Stevens bats were more consistent in the 2nd game scoring in four of their six offensive innings. Newport jumped out early, scoring two runs in the 1st inning as Alexis Durgin would double and come around to score with a Katie Sharon’s single. Sharon would also touch home plate for the Tigers early. Stevens answered with three runs of their own in their half of the first. Josie Aiken and Emily Peaslee each got hits and RBI’s. Newport’s offense was shut down after the 3rd inning where they got their final two runs of the game. The game got away from Newport in the 5th inning, when the Cardinals had the bases loaded and senior Brianna Frisbee ripped a bases clearing double good for three RBI’s with her second two-bagger of the night. Kiley Bundy, Peasley, Kenzie Brown and Brianna Marsh joined Frisbee crossing the plate to give Stevens a solid six run lead that ended up being all the runs scored on the night.

Stevens improves to 8-3 and are ready for a busy three games in a row this week. Newport stands at 7-3 and will look to get back on track as they have three home games this week.

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