SETH DRURY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Four games in three days proved to be no problem for the Knights as they swept through the weekend winning by a combined weekend score of 44-0.
On Sunday, Wartburg looked to continue it’s streak of 43 consecutive scoreless innings for its pitching staff. Lexy Determan took the mound for the opening game of the day.
Amy Daniels followed Lynn Heitkamp’s walk with a double that pushed Heitkamp to third. Tina VandeHoef knocked in Heitkamp with a grounder to open up the game 1-0.
Ashley Stout started the top of the second inning with a single. Determan gave herself some insurance runs by blasting a two-run homerun. A single by Beth Schaufenbuel gave way to Daniels knocking a homer to left field. The next at bat Emily Braem matched Daniels with a homer to left field of her own. With five runs crossing in the second, the Knights were up 6-0.
“We’ve seen the offensive potential of our team breakthrough in the past couple of games. Our athletes have been working on their swing in the past couple of practices and it’s rewarding for them to see all of that translate out onto the field,” head coach Kara Kehe said.
Determan continued to be unhittable through the fourth when Wartburg decided to expand their lead. Schaufenbuel homered to left after a Leane Yoder single to make it 8-0. Two singles by Heitkamp and Braem continued the inning for VandeHoef who homered, knocking in three more runs making the final score 11-0.
Determan closed the game throwing a perfect game striking out 12 of the 15 batters she faced. Determan lowered her team best 0.14 ERA.
“She (Determan) was actually really talkative in the dugout, and she and I talked in the dugout about things to work on through the game and it was really nice to see her throw well,” Kehe said.
In the second game the Knights continued where they left off with five runs in the first inning off seven hits. In the second inning Determan knocked in Braem with a single.
Angela Hartwig struck out nine, walked none and posted no runs or hits in four innings on the mound.
“The pitchers have thrown great the past few games. Hartwig, Determan and (Jacie) Smith complement each other nicely. Each is playing their role and throwing well which puts our team in a good position every game.”
In the fourth inning, a Daniels homerun in the third brought the score to 7-0. Wartburg scored six runs on six hits in the fourth stretching the lead to 13-0.
In the fifth, Smith relieved Hartwig and closed out the game as she retired three straight batters to seal the win for Wartburg, 13-0.
The Knights came out on top on Friday too with scores of 11-0 and 9-0. The first of two games started off quickly as the Knights jumped out to a 9-0 lead after the first inning, highlighted by two homers by Daniels and Determan. In the inning the Knights knocked out eight hits and produced nine runs.
In the third VandeHoef had a two-run shot to left field that set the score at 11-0.
Determan earned the win, pitching three innings giving up three hits and striking out five. Smith relieved her in the fourth retiring six straight batters to close out the game.
Paige Gerstner knocked in two runs on a single to make the score 2-0 in the bottom of the third in the second contest of the day.
The Knights scored seven runs off of eight hits in the bottom of the fifth. Angela Hartwig pitched five scoreless innings scattering three hits walking one and striking out 11.
“We’re just working to get our team better. Individuals doing what they can do to contribute to a team effort we’re really excited to get our schedule underway and start playing in the conference,” Kehe said.
The Knights will open up IIAC play by hosting Coe on Saturday with the first pitch set for 2 p.m.
Photo: Leane Yoder catches a pop fly during the Knights' win over Ashford at Lynes Field Friday. Photo by Luke Shanno