Midgettes start season with 11-0 win

ASHLAND, Wis. - Hurley didn't strike out. It didn't allow any walks. And its defense was solid.

Not bad for its first game of the year.

The Midgettes blanked Ashland 11-0 in five innings Monday at Northland College.

Gabby Pecotte pitched all five walk-free and run-free innings for Hurley. Everyone in the Hurley order reached base and it didn't allow Ashland to take advantage of two errors.

"I'm happy overall with the first game," Hurley manager Jim Kivisto said.

Unlike the last two years, the Midgettes have been able to practice outside frequently in the preseason. But that's not the only thing that contributed to 11 hits.

"That helps a lot," Kivisto said. "We've got a few extra girls that can throw this year, so we're not always seeing the pitching machine. We're going against live arms in practice. That helps a little bit, too. We've got about five, six, seven practices outside. The girls were wanting to play, enough of this sitting around and practicing. It was good for the first game."

The Midgettes only picked up one hit through the first two innings, but Tori Colassaco started a rally in the third inning with a leadoff bunt that only went a few feet. She beat the throw to first, went to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a bunt by Tianne Kuula. Colassaco scored on a one-out single by Gabby Pecotte.

Hurley works on bunting a lot also.

"Tori came up with a big bunt to start off," Kivisto said. "Tianne had a nice bunt, too, but they had a nice play there at third."

Hurley went on to score five runs in the inning.

After Kirkie Pecotte made it back-to-back hits, the next three Midgettes were walked by Ashland pitcher Brooke Westlund. The second, to Paige Aho, brought Gabby Pecotte home.

Kirkie Pecotte scored on a wild pitch. Felicia Herlevi scored when Brittany Czarnecki reached on an error. Aho crossed home plate on a wild pickoff attempt.

The Midgettes scored once in the fourth, on an RBI double by Aho.

Hurley scored five more runs in the fifth inning.

Kuula's slow grounder that carried into the outfield scored two runs, Gabby Pecotte drove in a run with a double and Kirkie Pecotte added an RBI single. The other run, pinch runner Allison Waterhouse, scored as Kirkie Pecotte was caught stealing second base for the second out.

Kirkie Pecotte finished with four hits and Gabby Pecotte and Kuula both had two.

"We put the ball in play," Kivisto said. "All nine batters put the ball in play and that's what we need to do to stay with these teams. The girls started hitting the ball harder the second time around. It was nice to see, but we can still hit the ball better than we did. I know we can and we will get better at that. First-game jitters."

Gabby Pecotte pitched five scoreless innings, allowing five hits.

The Midgettes recorded two double plays behind her. With one out in the second, Alison Huber hit a hard shot to Aho at third, who threw to first to get the runner who was halfway to second.

In the third, Tori Piff hit one back to Gabby Pecotte, who threw to Aho at third for the force. She then got it to Maria Swartz at second for the double play.

Pecotte struck out one, but the defense came to play.

"We pitch to contact," Kivisto said. "We're not going to strike out a lot of batters. We have to make the routine plays and for the most part we did. Those two double plays really helped."

Ashland had opportunities.

"They found the gaps," Ashland manager Chas Johnson said. "We hit the ball hard quite a few times and we couldn't find the holes.

"Sometimes you have people on base and you hit line drives and double plays."

Ashland fell to 0-3 and comes to Hurley Friday. Hurley goes to Drummond today in its first Indianhead Conference game.

Hurley 0 0 5 1 5 - 11 11 2

Ashland 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 2