Fleming tosses no-hitter in Huron win

Ashley Fleming took charge Monday as the Hurons (5-2) swept a doubleheader against Hillman. The senior pitched both games in 12-0, 12-1 wins over the Tigers. In the first game, she faced the minimum of 15 batters in pitching a no-hitter against Hillman. Just one batter reached base, on a fourth-inning error, and she was cut down at second base by catcher C.J. Calabrese while trying to steal. Fleming struck out 10 and walked none in a dominating performance on the mound. She spotted the ball well and had great movement on her pitches. Hillman batters were mismatched this day as they struggled to get their bat on the ball.

Fleming added three hits at the plate while lead-off batter Laura Konieczny had two. Dana Fairbanks and Terri Schultz each had doubles in the contest. Rogers City came out with seven runs in the first inning, three in the second, and two more in the third, connecting for 14 hits.

FLEMING CAME back strong in the next game, going all five innings while striking out four. She surrendered just two hits and didn’t walk a batter. “Our plan was to pitch her in both games, since we wanted to get her some work and it was so warm out,” said coach Karl Grambau. Players responded to the warm weather by hitting the ball hard and fielding well

. Last week’s opener with Alpena, with temperatures in the 40s with a steady wind, made gripping the ball and holding the bat difficult. Monday’s summer-like conditions brought out the Hurons’ new uniforms featuring cutoff sleeves and shorts.

Rogers City had two runs in the first, two in the second and six in the third inning to go up 10-0. Hillman scored its only run in the fourth inning while the Hurons tacked on two more in the fifth. Calabrese knocked in two runs with a double in the fifth to give the Hurons the margin for a mercy-rule win. She had two hits in the win as did Laura Konieczny.

THE HURONS have a tough schedule of games ahead next week. The team hosts Boyne City today (Thursday) then hosts Class A Marquette Friday before traveling to Petoskey Monday. The SAC portion of the season begins Tuesday as the Hurons host Newberry. “There are some good teams coming up on our schedule. We have our work cut out for us,” Grambau said.

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