VIDEO
Second baseman Emma Minx, a senior, hits a hard liner down the left field line for a double. Minx would come around to score on an error to put the Tigers up 2-0.
Designated hitter Haley Buchanan, a junior, lays down a bunt to try and move Emma Minx from second base to third in the sixth inning Saturday afternoon against Hope College. Hope pitcher Andrea Reinecke threw off the mark to first allowing Minx to trot home.
STORY
Capitalizing on a key error from the Hope (12-9-1) defense and an impressive pitching performance by sophomore Emily Bichler, DePauw (14-2-1) took both games of the doubleheader by scores of 4-1 and 2-0.
With her two wins, Bichler improved to 13-2 and kept the Hope hitters off balance for her second shutout of the season and third of her career.
"We didn't really have a plan because we haven't played them," said Bichler on her strategy against Hope. "We decided to go a little bit off speed and they started chasing at the end because the pressure was on them. We tried to get ahead of batters and it worked out."
In the first game, Hope scored early in the first inning, but the Tiger's offense took control of the game in the second inning scoring off of three consecutive doubles by sophomore Jamie Story and juniors Cymone Allen and Rachel MacBeth to take the lead 3-1. DePauw added an insurance run in the fifth inning as senior Emma Minx tripled to deep left center and came home on a passed ball.
The Tiger offense struggled with scoring runs in the second game. On two occasions, DePauw loaded the bases but failed to come up with a base hit to drive in runs. But what run support they did provide was enough for Bichler.
"She did outstanding," said Skrenta. "You just heard Emily and Amy talking non-stop and getting those ground balls for outs."
Bichler and her catcher Amy Hallett worked well to use the large strike zone of the umpire and didn't let their opposing hitters get into a rhythm at the plate. The defense behind Bichler was superb, committing no errors and making a big time play when Hope was threatening to tie the game in the sixth inning.
With a runner on second with one out, Hope catcher Abby Phillips sent a towering fly ball to centerfielder Cymone Allen which was pushed away from her by the strong winds of up to 25 mph.
Due to Allen's known defensive prowess in center, Hope's shortstop Kristen Higgs at second held up and waited for the ball to drop. When it did, she took off for third as Allen corralled the ball near the fence in center and threw it to the infield. Her throw hit the cut-off man, Jamie Story, who then threw a bullet home to Hallett. The throw was low below Hallett's knees which enabled her to make the catch and apply the tag to the sliding Higgs. The perfectly executed sequence of throws kept the shutout alive.
"I can't explain how much we practice those plays and for them to click like that," Skrenta said. "It's not an easy play."
In the next half of the sixth inning, the Tigers added an insurance run when Minx doubled down the left field line and then scored from second when Haley Buchanan laid down a bunt to move Minx over to third, but the Hope pitcher Andrea Reinecke misfired her throw to first.
"The key to these tough regionally ranked matchups is the team that capitalizes on the other team's mistake is usually the one that wins," Skrenta said.
The Tigers will travel to Noblesville, IN tomorrow to matchup in a doubleheader with Trine University (13-2).