Rustin rides big early innings to win over Villa Maria
MALVERN>>By the end of the third inning of the non-league clash between Rustin and Villa Maria, both starting pitchers had been pulled. But then the two relief pitchers turned a slugfest into a pitcher’s duel, combining to allow just two hits over the final four innings as Rustin held on to top Villa by a score of 7-2.
“Villa always plays tough against us,” said Rustin coach Dennis Becker. “Hats off to them and the way they battle. This may not have been the prettiest game, but we came away with the W. We just have to keep moving forward.”
Rustin got on the board first, pushing across a pair or run in the top half of the first on singles from Jenna Kraft and Lainey Lacey, sandwiched around an RBI double from Taylor Kuhn (2-4, 2B, 2R, RBI).
“I didn’t get off to a great start this year,” said Kuhn. “I wasn’t hitting that well the first few games. It was big for us to get out that early lead. But this team is working well together and we’re all improving game to game.”
The Golden Knights worked out of a couple jams early on as Villa put runners on second and third with just one out in the first, and loaded the bases in the second, but just came up empty thanks to some great work with the gloves.
“We played great defense today,” said Becker. “That’s something we’ve been able to count on all year.”
Kuhn sparked a third inning rally with a lead-off single up the middle, and Paige Bentley followed with one of her own with a line-drive to right. Rustin loaded the bases when Lacey worked a walk, to bring up Joslyn Garner. Garner delivered, driving a ball to the gap in right center to drive in two runs. When Gianna Lupo walked to load the bases once again, Villa starter Alex Kilpatrick was done for the day, and in came Ari Butler.
The Hurricane reliever whiffed the first batter she faced, but then Ella Humberton worked an RBI base on balls. Two more runs came in when a throw home for the force out went to the backstop, with Garner alertly racing home as the Hurricane catcher was slow to retrieve the errant throw.
Butler was lights out the rest of the way, allowing just one base runner over the next four innings, a sixth inning walk.
“Ari did an incredible job,” said Villa coach Bill Miller. “All of her pitches were working for her today, and she shut down a good hitting team. We had our chances—we threatened just about every inning. We’ve played a lot of really good teams this year, and we’ve beaten some really good teams. Games against good teams with make you better in the long run.
Villa’s runs came in the bottom half of the fourth, when Kilpatrick reached on a fielder’s choice, And then the next three Hurricane hitters walked. But Lauren Greenwood, who came on in relief of starter Emily Gillis with one out and the bases still loaded, was able to limit the damage, ending the inning with a pair of strikeouts. Greenwood finished the day with ten strikeouts in 4.1 innings, while walking three and giving up a pair of singles.
“It’s a little stressful coming in like that, especially with the bases loaded,” said Greenwood. “But Lainey (Lacey) and Olivia (Shuffler) do a great job behind the plate, and make it really easy to hit my spots. I have a ton of confidence in this team to get the job done.”
As Gillis has been tough in the circle all year to this point, Becker now knows he’s got some depth in the circle, aided by the stingy defense.
“Lauren has been great about embracing her role as a back-up,” said Becker. “She’s adjusted quickly to coming in from a different school, and has done whatever job we’ve asked her to do.”
