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Perfect Mustangs give Gryphons grief

September 22, 2010
By Julian Mei

If only the game was three innings — the Guelph Gryphons might have stood a chance.

When Western’s women’s softball team took the field, they dominated. Both games of their doubleheader saw high-scoring fourth innings, en route to the team’s back-to-back victories. Taking the first game in a 7-0 shutout and the second with a 6-2 victory, the Mustangs have improved their season record to a perfect 10-0.

In game one, Western got on the board early when first baseman Megan Hewins hit a single driving in Vanessa Homiak.

The Mustangs pulled away in the fourth when Hewins added her second RBI single of the afternoon. Not to be outdone, Mustangs rookies AJ Anstett and Kara Stirling added doubles of their own to put the Mustangs up 6-0.

After finishing with two RBIs, the first baseman was pleased with her offensive production.

“I think [Guelph’s pitcher] was just pitching it where I like to hit,” Hewins said after the game. “Just having patience at the plate, and eventually she had to bring it in so you’re just waiting for your pitch.”

Mustangs pitcher Melinda Stevenson had a solid performance earning two strikeouts and surrendering only four hits in the shutout victory.

The Mustangs picked up right where they left off in game two.  Stephanie Reid hit a leadoff double and was later cashed in by Homiak’s sacrifice fly.

Similar to the first game, Western broke things open in the fourth. Already up 2-0, Stirling, Tricia MacKay and Anstett, doubled, singled and tripled in succession to put another two runs on the board.

The Gryphons showed resiliency as they immediately answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth. But that’s all they would muster as two hard-hit balls to the outfield were caught, spoiling what could have been a breakout inning.

“I liked how we swung the bat … In both games there were a lot of really good hard-hit balls that just went right at people,” Guelph head coach Josh Pirie said. “Credit to Western, they are a more polished team than us and they were able to find some more holes.”

Guelph pulled within two after Laurel Patterson hit a two out triple in the fifth, causing Western to bring in Molly Yetman for two innings of relief.

“I’m not worried about any of our pitchers,” Mustangs coach Pete Lemon said. “Sometimes you change it up to bring in a little more velocity at the end, and a little more movement. I knew Molly would just shut it down and she did.”

Western added runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, and Yetman struck out three of the six batters she faced as Western went on to complete the sweep.

With so much depth added to the roster, the Mustangs are hoping to improve on last year’s disappointing end when the McMaster Marauders spoiled their perfect season in the championship game.

“We have our best recruiting class ever, so the new comers are very strong,” he said. “If our all-star second baseman got hurt and we just rotated in you couldn’t tell any difference.”

Western will play their next eight games on the road before returning home on October 8 to face Waterloo.

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