Softball: Rockridge tops Princeton in battle of Three Rivers division leaders

PRINCETON – The two division leaders of the Three Rivers Conference intersected at Little Siberia Field on Tuesday.

Rockridge (19-2), the Three Rivers West leader, rode a three-hit shutout by ace pitcher Kendra Lewis to a 10-0 win over Three Rivers East front-runner Princeton (13-5).

Princeton catcher Sam Woolley, who had one of three hits off the Wisconsin Badgers-bound Lewis, said facing a pitcher of Lewis’ caliber will only make the Tigresses better.

“Honestly, I think it’s amazing. We don’t really see pitching that fast and that type of pitcher that often,” Woolley said. “So when I see it, I just take it as a challenge to see what I can do. I think everybody tried their best and I’m very proud of us.”

Princeton coach Jhavon Hayes said it’s only a loss if her team doesn’t learn from it.

“These are the types of games that remind us we’re going to fail more than we’re going to succeed,” she said. “We only truly fail if we don’t learn. We knew Rockridge would be tough. They’re a great program. We’re a good-hitting team, who played a good-hitting team. They made adjustments quickly and we didn’t.

“We can’t make errors against a team like that and we got caught flat footed at times leading to more runs. Tomorrow is a new day and we’ll work at practice to be better.”

Lewis said it was a fun game.

“Those are always fun meeting the other side of the conference. It’s a more exciting, especially here in Princeton, because I have some ties. Always fun,” she said.

“Princeton has some pretty good players. Good pitching. So it’s a solid matchup. I think it was beneficial for both teams. So good game.”

The Rockets, the three-time defending Class 2A state champions, broke the game open with six runs in the top of the second off PHS starter Reese Reviglio.

Emma Kramer had a two-run double to get the Rockets on the board and Taylor Dieterich capped the six-run outburst with a deep two-run homer to left.

Freshman Avah Oertel held the Rockets in check for 2 1/3 innings through five innings, retiring seven of eight batters she faced with the only base runner reaching on an error.

Rockridge scored one run in the fifth on a safety squeeze by Morgan Hofer.

The Rockets plated two more in the sixth with a RBI triple by Dieterich and a RBI single by Lewis.

Kaycee Price’s RBI hit put the Rockets up 10-0 in the seventh.

Lewis fanned 12 batters with no walks, scattering three hits, the only base runners she allowed.

Woolley doubled to left in the second inning.

Sophomore Izzy Gibson sent a high fly to the base of the left field fence for a leadoff double in the sixth but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

One out later, sophomore Makayla Hecht singled sharply to right.

Just three of the six runs Reviglio (1 2/3 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB) allowed were earned. Oertel scattered seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs.