Rockridge @ Macomb (Softball)
(4/10/10)
Plans were originally to get some yard work done and do some landscaping around my house with the temperatures in the low 70s, and the sun shining. However, I jumped in the shower instead, and upon getting out, asked myself why I was taking a shower right before getting dirty in the yard. Looking at the clock, I said to myself, why waste a perfect day away from the diamond!
Across town, the Macomb Lady Bombers were set to square off against Rockridge in an Olympic Conference softball doubleheader. With the Rockets ranked (#8) in the most recent Illinois Coaches Association rankings in Class 2A, I wanted to take in the action.
I was a few minutes late for the start of game one, with Rockridge already getting a couple batters on base. The Lady Rockets would score two runs in that first inning as I was settling in on the grounds at MHS.
Plenty of familiar faces greeted me as I walked in. For the first few innings, I jotted down a few notes, but did more talking than note taking. Scott and Renee Sims, Joe Westen and a few other Macomb softball parents shared in some Macomb softball discussion, the lopsided Sherrard wins the night before over Monmouth-Roseville (31-0, 18-2), and Macomb's first softball win of the season the day before (beating Rushville-Industry).
The Rockets tacked on four more runs in the 3rd inning, giving the visitors a 6-0 advantage. Rachel Murphy had the first of three Macomb hits in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Rockridge took advantage of three walks and three base hits in the fourth inning to go up 9-0 in the 4th.
Chandler Horrell scored the only Macomb run in the bottom of the 4th, after reaching on a double. Horrell would come around to score after an error at 3rd base on a throw off an infield single.
Rockridge would make it a 10+ run game in the 5th inning. Caitlin Lingle hit a home run over the left field fence to make it a 10-1 game. The Rockets, then had two base hits, and three consecutive errors to plate the rest of their runs to win, 14-1. The game took about 63 minutes, ending a few minutes after noon.
Between games, I chatted up with the Sims family (not the computer game family). Their daughter, Lauren, is the Shortstop for the Lady Bombers. Scott Sims is an umpire during the spring season, but has worked limited games due to the Macomb schedule.
I headed over to the Macomb dugout and chatted with coach Steve Horrell. He gave me some information on a "Zebra Game" that will be held at MHS on May 3rd against Quincy. This is a benefit for one of the girls on the team. When I receive more information, I will post it on IHSSN, and we will also broadcast that game on IHSSN.net.
Chris Vogt of the McDonough Voice was also in the dugout. We talked about the website, and how things were going at the paper. He also told that he was moving back home in a few weeks (near Cincinatti, Ohio). He, and his girlfriend just had a baby girl, and they are moving back to be closer to family.
We hung out at the end of the Macomb dugout for the second game of the twinbill. Macomb statistician Dan Rouse arrived shortly after, and he talked about wanting to put something together on the 100th anniversary of Macomb Bombers basketball, which will be next season. Another project he is working on, is getting in-depth golf results, that were kept by recently retired coach Gary Saunders. He also wanted to dig up who the oldest living Macomb Bombers are.
The game two pitching matchup featured Rockridge's Taylor Seaba against Macomb's Dailea Powell. Macomb was the visitors on the scoreboard in game two, and went down 1-2-3, all via strikeout in the 1st inning.
The Rockets plated 5 runs in the bottom of the first inning, with Jennifer Krueger, Emily Woods, Caitlin Lingle, Gillian Goodwin, and Kaylee Moseley all scoring runs. Molly Wright knocked in three of those runs.
Macomb scored their only run in the 2nd inning, when Chandler Horrell came around to score on a Kelsey Carle single. Carle was called out for not touching first base. You can see the video at (http://www.youtube.com/user/IHSSNBeau).
Eight more runs were scored in the 2nd inning by the visiting Rockets. Krueger, Woods, Hailey Deem, Lingle, Medinger, Moseley, and Nikki Dixon all scored. Emily Medinger hit a 2-run single in the frame. In the 3rd inning, Lingle, Goodwin, Wright, and Dixon all scored. Lingle hit a double to lead off the inning. She would lead off the 5th inning with a solo home run. Rockridge would take game two, easily in five innings, 19-1.
For the day, Rockridge rapped out 44 hits in just nine innings of plate appearances. Macomb had 7 hits on the day. Caitlin Lingle hit 2 home runs for the Rockets, and went 3-3 in the nightcap. In game one, Jennifer Krueger and Nikki Dixon each went 4-4, while Emily Woods went 4-5 in game two. Rockridge improves to (9-2) on the season, while Macomb drops to (1-9).
Afterwards, I spoke with both head coaches, Steve Horrell and Jennifer Duyvejonck. Those video interviews can also be seen at (http://www.youtube.com/user/IHSSNBeau). Afterwards, it was back home to upload some video before heading over to Bushnell to announce the B-PC Promenade. Blog on that to follow.
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