Posen knocks Hillman from the top of the NSL standings

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Two fifth inning rallies helped give Posen a sweep against rival Hillman Monday, 2-1 and 9-7, and keep a relatively young team in first place in the North Star League with a perfect 8-0 record. They are 16-2 overall. The Vikings get high grades for their momentum turning comebacks Monday on the home turf. In both ends of the doubleheader, Hillman seemed to have the upper hand, even though they didn?t have commanding leads. In freshman Leanne Buczkowski’s first appearance against the Tigers, she allowed one hit, no walks, while striking out five. While Hillman scored their only run in the first inning, Buczkowski kept her club in the game until the batters could generate some runs.

The Vikings were scoreless through the first four innings but started the bottom of the fifth with a Janice Ciarkowski walk. Elyse Perrault followed with a single through the infield. The runners advanced to second and third on Cheryl Romel’s fly out to right. Ciarkowski would come home on a wild pitch to tie the game. Buczkowski grounded weakly to the pitcher, who went to first as Perrault broke for home. Perrault beat the throw to the plate for the game-winning run. Hillman would get only one base runner on in the top of the sixth.

GAME TWO would provide an even more dramatic turn-around as the momentum pendulum swung back and forth. The Vikes had control of the game by scoring four in the second and two in the fourth innings. The big blow in the second was a two-RBI double to the fence by Megan Haske as part of a three-for-four performance at the plate. Christina Bednarski and Haske singled ahead of starting pitcher Lindsay Ponik, who ripped a two-RBI single to help her own cause in the fourth. Ponik ran into trouble in the fifth inning, which head coach Glenn Budnick called their worst of the day.

“We should have been out of the inning but errors kept Hillman’s at bats alive which then led to the back-to-back hit to take the lead from us,” said Budnick. The Tigers pushed across seven and seemed poised to steal one away, but Posen rallied. It started with one out on a walk by Romel. Buczkowski followed and got on base via an error. Romel, who had advanced to third, came home on a fielders’ choice by Julia Lewandowski to tie the score. Bednarski grounded to the pitcher and Buczkowski sprinted home for the go-ahead run. Ashley Sobek would get the final run in by singling. Hillman put two runners on in the top of the sixth, but a sharp grounder to Ciarkowski at short was scooped up and fired over to first. Buczkowski got the win in relief as she finished the final two innings. “It’s great, especially with the young team we have,” said Budnick. “Two freshmen pitchers went out there and combined to beat a ranked team twice. That could only bode well for our future.” The coach said the wind played a factor in both games, especially with the pitching.

THE VIKINGS were coming off easy wins against Mio, 25-0 and 10-0. Mio pitchers walked 19, and Posen scored 18 in t

he second inning of game one. Leann Strzelecki was two-for-three with three RBI. Romel had a two-RBI single. Ciarkowski was two-of-two with a two-run homer and three RBI. Ponik and Romel were two-for-two. Both Ponik and Buczkowski picked up wins. Buczkowski and Strzelecki combined to throw no-hit ball during three innings of work. April 3 at Alcona, Posen swept the home team, 17-2 and 12-6. Buczkowski was three-for-four at the plate with an RBI and gave up only four hits (3 BB, 2 K’s) on the mound. Ciarkowski worked a 1-2-3 inning of relief. Ponik (2B, 4 RBI), Sobek and Bednarski all had two hits each.

Game two starter was Lewandowski (5 IN, 8 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K’s), while Buczkowski entered the fifth inning with the bases loaded and no one out and Posen hanging on to a 6-3 lead. The first batter Buczkowski faced hit the ball off her glove and the ball went to Ciarkowski at short, but the throw home was late, making the score 6-4. The next batter grounded to Buczkowski who got the force at home. She then struck out the final two batters to end the threat. The Posen bats struck for six in the sixth inning to leave little doubt. Bednarski, Ponik and Romel were all three-for-four.

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