Bryan, Stickney pitch Eastern to softball sweep of Brethren
BRETHREN- Mason County Eastern rode the pitching and hitting of junior Kara Bryan to a 10-3 victory over Brethren in the first game of Monday's Western Michigan D League softball doubleheader.
In the nightcap, senior Melanie Stickney made her first start on the mound for Eastern and threw a two-hitter as the Cardinals romped, 15-2. The sweep raised Eastern's season record to 10-2 and its league-leading mark to 5-1.
In game one, Bryan shook off a shakey first inning and dominated the Bobcats from there. She pitched all six innings, striking out six and walking three. Bryan allowed three hits and only one earned run. Brethren scored twice in the first but Eastern dominated from there.
" It was a rough first inning but after that we settled right down," said Eastern coach Bill Cole.
Bryan was three for four with two doubles and Chrisha Barrett went three for three with a double. Also, Stephanie Eichmeier was two for three with triple, Nikki Kolean and Jessica Budzynski had two hits each and Jen Segelstrom scored three times pinch-running for bryan.
Stickney threw a two-hitter in the nightcap, facing 14 batters, two over the minimum in the four-inning contest. She struck out eight and both Bobcats runs were unearned.
"She was a pretty excited young lady," Cole said of Stickney, who broke her left wrist in practice just prior to the start of the season. Stickney throws right handed. He return gives Cole a strong one-two pitching punch.
"Kara has stepped up and done a great job," said Cole. " It will be nice having the two of them. It's good to have Mel back but it's also good that Kara was able to get in all of those innings. She's turning into a pretty good pitcher."
Stickney was backed by a 16-hit attack. Kolean was three for four with a triple and a double and scored three times and Budzynski was three for four with a double.
Also, Courtney Harris, Heather Salmon and Eichmeier had two hits a piece and Erica Knizacky scored three runs.
On Thursday, Eastern is home against Bear Lake in a WMD doubleheader and on Saturday, the Cardinals will compete in the Mason County Central/Briggs True Value Invitational Tournament.
Reprinted with permission from The Ludington Daily News