The Richland Center Hornets dropped two SWC games but posted their first win of the 2015 season during the past week.
Dodgeville walloped the Hornets, 13-1, Thursday, and Platteville eked out a 7-5 win over the Hornets Tuesday.
In between, the Hornets notched their first win of the season. The Hornets defeated Mauston, 4-1, in a non-conference battle Monday.
“We keep improving,” said coach Dan McGuire. “It was good to finally get a win, and we could have had another at Platteville. We had the tying run at second and go-ahead run at the plate.”
Dodgeville started fast and crushed the Hornets. The Dodgers scored two runs in the first and five more in the second. The Hornets managed only three hits.
They scored in the first inning when Alexa Knoble singled and scored when Allison Schauf came up with a two-out hit.
Elizabeth Shannon, the first of three Hornet pitchers, suffered the loss. Taryn Weber and Allison Schauf came on in relief. Schauf pitched three innings without allowing an earned run.
Hannah Pepich singled home Shannon with the first run as the Hornets topped Mauston.
Erica Fruit had two hits and an rbi, and Bailey Stowell, also had a hit. Shannon was credited with an rbi.
Meanwhile, sophomore Kathleen Peckham cooled off the Golden Eagle hitters. Peckham went the distance to get the win wit a one-hitter. “She gets a lot of spin on the ball and she had them popping up,” McGuire said.
McGuire said the Hornets were able to weather a threat by the Eagles in the seventh to preserve the win. Two errors enabled Mauston stage a rally. The Eagles scored their only run and had the tying run at the plate before the Hornets got the final out.
Platteville scored five runs with two outs and handed the Hornets a 7-5 setback Tuesday.
B.J. Hoyer notched the win with relief help from Sierra Brecke. Allison Schauf took the loss.
Platteville built a 4-0 lead with two runs in the second and third innings. The Hornets scored three in the fourth before the Hillmen tacked on a run. The Hillmen added two more in the sixth. The Hornets scored twice in the seventh and had two aboard when the rally ended.
The Hornets managed only four hits – two by Bailey Stowell and one each from Daria Deckert and Payton McGlynn – but took advantage of nine walks.
The Hornets will host Lancaster Friday and go to Prairie du Chien Tuesday.
