By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

A knee injury to Payton Williams last season has resulted in head coach LeRoy Moore being cautious in bringing the Streetsboro junior pitcher along this season.

After Williams’ performance on Monday in a 10-0 triumph at Norton, though, in a game called after six innings due to the 10-run rule, Moore just might be a tad more aggressive in pitching her.

She went the distance in giving up only two hits, while striking out four and walking two in helping her team improve to 4-2.

“It was a real good outing for Payton,” the coach said. “It was a nice, pleasant surprise that she went the entire game. She did well, she had a good outing.”

Offensively, sophomore center fielder Olivia Knepper had three singles and two RBI, while classmate Khloe Cutright, the second baseman, tripled, singled twice, knocked in two runs and scored once.

“Khloe has been what I guess I’d refer to as a power hitter because when she swings, her intent is to hurt the ball,” said Moore. “For her, it’s just getting at that consistency of her not being fooled by the off-speed pitches.

With two hits apiece were sophomore catcher Olivia DeToro, freshman third baseman Mallorie Gierke and freshman shortstop Ella Simpson.

DeToro scored twice, Gierke had an RBI and a run and Simpson drove in a run and scored four times.

Three days earlier, on April 4, the Rockets defeated visiting Woodridge 6-3.

Knepper had three singles, an RBI and three runs.

“Olivia put the ball in play,” said the coach, “and that’s what we’re asking of her in the second spot in the lineup.”

With two hits apiece were DeToro and senior first baseman Hailey Miller. DeToro scored twice, and Miller had three RBIs.

On the mound, senior Sydney Burfield started and went 3.2 innings in giving up three runs (but only one earned) and seven hits while fanning two. Sophomore Amy Rein went the last 3.1 innings in giving up four hits and fanning four.

“Usually,” said Moore, “Sydney and Amy complement each other well because Amy is basically a velocity pitcher with a lot of fastballs, curveballs and screwballs whereas Sydney is more of an off-speed pitcher with a lot of change-ups. We figure that if one of them can get through the opponent’s lineup at least one time, that takes us into the fourth or possibly the fifth inning.

“Then we change things up, and it’s hard for hitters to time them up.”

The Bulldogs had 13 hits, but the Rockets’ defense came up with plays when it needed to.

The day before, on April 3, Streetsboro lost 12-2 at home to Springfield. Rein started and went five innings, giving up nine runs (three earned) and nine hits while fanning two and walking five.

“Springfield is a good-hitting team,” said the coach. “Amy pretty much held them in check through four innings. Then in the fifth things got a little out of control for her.”

Williams replaced Rein to start the sixth inning and finished up.

Miller singled twice and knocked in a run.