Viqueens start game slowly but win easily

COLUMBUS - The Lakeview bats were stymied by David City's starting pitcher Korissah Spatz the first time through the batting order.

The next time through the Viqueens had figured her out.

Class B, No. 4 Lakeview (4-2) had its bats come alive in the fourth inning to break open a 1-0 game and didn't stop until they had scored nine more to run-rule the Scouts (0-3) in a 10-0 win.

The inning began with five consecutive singles by Teshia Steuben, Cheyenne Jaster, Macey Gronenthal, Stephanie Jarecki and Telegram Super Senior Steph Schmidt, capped with a double by Nicole Sempek. That surge was followed with a fly out to center, but Danielle Went and Jenna Alswager weren't content to end the inning and smacked out two straight doubles to make the score 8-0.

Spatz was removed by Scouts coach Tom Van Winkle and Jennifer Wiederspan was brought in from left field to try and stop the Viqueens. Van Winkle said that he was happy with how Spatz pitched, but he thought Lakeview was able to catch on.

“I think that we showed some signs of life in the game,” Van Winkle said. “To be in the game down 1-0 after three complete innings ... you've got to be happy with that against a team the quality of Lakeview.”

Wiederspan wasn't able to halt the Viqueens' big inning, though. Steuben hit a fly to center that was dropped by the center fielder and then after a single and a strike out, another run scored on a wild pitch. This made the score 10-0, and the home plate umpire called the game due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“We had to settle in and be a little more patient in the batters' box,” Lakeview head coach Dave Prokesh said. “We made that adjustment and started hitting.”

Schmidt, who pitched for the Viqueens, allowed a couple of baserunners early, but found her groove and struck out seven Scouts in the game. She allowed two hits, both to David City's Chelsea Komenda, and one walk in the game.

According to Schmidt, her rise ball was getting hitters to bite, and then her offspeed stuff had them out in front of the ball and striking out.

“The rise worked, and I threw it a lot,” Schmidt said. “Then the curve and my change-up were getting them out.”

The Viqueens have had good pitching helping them out all season, according to their coach, mostly focused on his two starting seniors, Schmidt and Shelby Sempek.

“Our pitching has been very solid right now,” Prokesh said. “Sempek and Schmidt have been very comparable in their pitching, and they have logged the majority of the time between them, Sempek with the drop and Schmidt with the curve. We feel very good with either of them out on the mound.”

Lakeview's next game will be at Wayne Tuesday. David City will play today against Seward at home.

Lakeview 10, David City 0

David City 0000 - 0 2 4

Lakeview 0019 - 10 10 0

n Pitching: WP-Stephanie Schmidt, LP- Korissah Spatz

n Leading Hitters: LV-Nicole Sempek 2-2, 2B, 2 Runs, 2 RBI; Cheyenne Jaster 1-1, Run, BB. DC-Chelsea Komenda 2-2.