Hornettes Split First Two Games
The Nashville Hornettes softball team split their first two games of the season. The Hornettes season began as they defeated Greenville 13-2 on the road, before falling to Trico in their first home game of the season.
The Nashville Hornettes began their defense of last year's state championship with a 13-2 win over Greenville in five innings on March 17. After a scoreless first inning, Nashville broke through in the second with six runs, highlighted by a home run by Karly Stanowski. The Hornettes brought 10 batters to the plate in the inning, started by a single by Alli Liske. Deidra Holzhauer had two RBIs in the inning, and Mackenzie McFeron and Paige Kasten had one RBI each.
The Hornettes continued with the bats in the third inning, as they added three more runs to push their lead to 9-0. After Greenville added two runs in the bottom of the third, Nashville put the game away with four more runs in the fourth. Nashville's senior pitcher Deidra Holzhauer kept Greenville off the board the rest of the way, allowing the Hornettes to win 13-2 in five innings.
Stiegman led Nashville offensively going 3-4 with three runs scored, two RBIs, a double, a home run, and a stolen base. Stanowski finished 1-2, with a home run, three RBIS and two walks. Kasten and Liske notched two hits apiece, while McFeron and Brooke Burcham each added one hit. Holzhauer finished 1-3 on the day with 3 RBIs to go along with a complete game on the mound. Holzhauer pitched all five innings, giving up only two runs on two hits, with three strikeouts.
The Hornettes missed opportunities in their second game of the season as they fell to Trico 7-4. Trico rushed out to a 7-0 lead, but the Hornettes fought back in the late innings. Nashville just fell short of a comeback, as they dropped their first game of the season.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the first, both McFeron and Kasten reached base. Both runners were able to move up into scoring position with less than two outs, but the Hornettes failed to get the runners home. Trico was able to get on the board in the second inning after two Nashville errors contributed to Trico’s scoring chances. The Hornettes gave up four runs in the inning. The score stayed the same, until the top of the fourth inning, when the Pioneers put up three more runs, to take a 7-0 lead.
Nashville came alive in the fifth inning. After having just three baserunners in the first four innings, the Hornettes were able to get going offensively. After Stiegman led off with a single, and Heck reached on an error, McFeron was able to get the Hornettes on the board with an RBI single. Two batters later, Holzhauer connected on a home run that sailed over the left field fence to cut Trico’s lead to just three. The Hornettes would again load the bases after a double by Stanowski, and back to back walks by Burcham and Liske, but could not get the runners home. After a scoreless sixth, the Hornettes had one last chance in the seventh to tie the game. The Hornettes were able to get the tying run to the plate, but could not come back, as they fell 7-4.
Holzhauer finished the game 1-4 with her lone hit being the three-run home run. McFeron finished the game 2-4 with a run, a RBI, and a stolen base. Stanowski also had two hits in the game for the Hornettes. Stiegman had the lone other hit for Nashville. Burcham got on base twice via the walk, while Kasten and Liske walked once in the game. Holzhauer pitched all seven innings for Nashville, giving up just three earned runs.
Hornettes senior pitcher Deidra Holzhauer delivers a pitch in the Hornettes 7-4 loss to the Trico Pioneers on March 21.
