Softball: Ottawa hits, pitches to 11-1 Interstate 8 victory over Plano

OTTAWA – The Ottawa softball team, coming off a frustrating loss to Coal City earlier Thursday afternoon, turned things around in its nightcap with Interstate 8 Conference foe Plano.

The Pirates scored two runs in each of the first two innings and then added three more in the third before scoring four in the fourth to earn an 11-1 victory in five innings over the Reapers at King Field.

“It was a frustrating end to the first game tonight, but we came out in the second game and were very upbeat and ready to go,” said Ottawa coach Adam Lewis, whose team lost to Coal City 11-6 before the game with Plano.

“We hit the ball very well against Plano, but what I was even more proud of was the way we hit the ball to the opposite field when the pitch dictated that we do so. Kendall [Lowery] and Hailey [Larsen] both did an excellent job at the plate of staying back and driving in runs when they had opportunities. Maura [Condon] also did a good job of hitting her spots, and the defense behind her did their job as well.

“It was a nice bounce-back win for us.”

Ottawa (6-3, 2-0) used consecutive triples in the first inning from McKenzie Oslanzi, Lowry and Larsen off Reapers’ starter Alyssa Dubinski to grab a 2-0 advantage.

“My first two at-bats the ball was on the outside corner, and the third was inside a little, so I felt like I did a good job of sticking to the approach I want to have.”

—  Ottawa's Hailey Larsen

Plano (3-5-1, 0-2) got one of those runs back in the top of the second as Lindsey Cocks singled to right, advanced to second on an error and scored on back-to-back passed balls.

The hosts used consecutive RBI singles by Condo and Ryleigh Stehl (2 for 3) in the second to lead 4-1. In the third, Larsen’s second triple of the game scored Lowery, who had doubled, while Brynne Sember added a run-scoring base hit, and Aubrey Sullivan a run-producing at-bat.

“Most of the talk between our games was that it was just water under the bridge and that we needed to be ready for right from the start and keep our heads in the game,” said Larsen, who along with Lowery finished 3 for 3. “It felt like we did a better job of keeping our focus.

“I was just trying to keep the same approach I always have at the plate, which is stay back and just try to hit the ball where it’s pitched. My first two at-bats the ball was on the outside corner, and the third was inside a little, so I felt like I did a good job of sticking to the approach I want to have.”

Ottawa closed out the scoring in the fourth as Lowery and Larsen smacked RBI hits, Sember drove in a run on a grounder, and the final run crossed on a wild pitch.

In the circle, Condon allowed only two hits and no earned runs while walking two and striking out 10.

“I felt like some of the girls were trying to carry the team on their back, make things happen on their own, and just tried to do too much,” Plano coach Dwayne Love said. “We don’t need to do that; we just need each one of them to fill their role, and everything else will take care of itself. We have a few experienced players, but overall we have a young team that’s still figuring some things out, but despite the outcome I feel like we can build off of some things we did tonight.

“Ottawa just hit the ball solid, and a few found the gaps tonight. There’s nothing you can do about that. This is only Alyssa’s second year ever pitching. She’s come a long way, and she’s done a fantastic job for us, but tonight Ottawa just found their timing and were able to hit the ball pretty well.”

Coal City 11, Ottawa 6

The Pirates and Coalers were tied 4-all heading to the seventh before the visitors scored seven runs to win their sixth straight game in improving to 9-2 on the season.

“I have to wear the end of the game. ... I made a few changes, because I thought we could get a couple ground balls in the seventh, but it just didn’t work out,” Lewis said.

Oslanzi, Lowery (two RBIs), Sember (triple, RBI) and Sullivan (RBI) each had two hits for Ottawa, while Condon doubled. Oslanzi (4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K), Condon (Loss, 2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) and Peyton Bryson (1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) shared time in the circle.