Rochester Technical and Community College (4-2, 4-2) swept a pair of games from the Riverland Blue Devils softball team Wednesday by scores of 11-6 and 18-5 (5 innings).

Thursday, April 13, 2000

Rochester Technical and Community College (4-2, 4-2) swept a pair of games from the Riverland Blue Devils softball team Wednesday by scores of 11-6 and 18-5 (5 innings).

If the Blue Devils hit like they did in the first inning of both contests, they would have been in two highly competitive games.

Rochester went out to 2-0 lead in game one. The Blue Devils responded with a five-spot in their half of the inning. They were helped by two Rochester errors and four walks from starting pitcher Brianna Harmening. Billie Anderson and Breanna Seira stroked singles during the rally.

The Blue Devils then made it 6-2 in the second. Seira led off the inning with a triple and later scored on an RBI grounder to short by Jamie Rosheim. Seira was 5-of-7 on the day. Kristin Haugen stroked a double in the seventh for Riverland’s only other extra-base hit.

Rochester then rallied back with two runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. They then closed out the game with a four-run sixth courtesy of back-to-back home runs from Shelley Boettcher, a three-run shot, and Jacki Banitt.

In game two, Riverland again started out well at the plate. Hitting against former LOGM standout Ericka Vreeman, Riverland scored three times in the first inning on four straight two-out hits capped off by a two-run double from Alissa Goetzinger. Rochester came back with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Riverland regained the lead in the top of the second. Abby Torgeson was hit by a pitch. Jaden Reeder then smacked a double to score Torgeson. Sara Nagele then singled to put runners on first and third. Riverland then went for the double steal with Reeder scoring and Nagele getting thrown out at second on a bang-bang play.

Riverland pressed on, loading the bases on singles by Anderson and Seira and Vreeman hitting Jill Pratt with a pitch. A catch by right fielder Hallie Benike led to a pick off double play at first base, ending the inning with Riverland ahead 5-4.

That lead was quickly a memory as Rochester then started to smoke the ball and crossed the plate 11 times in the bottom of the second inning. The Yellow Jackets offense in this game was once again led by Boettcher and Banitt. Boettcher hit a double and Banitt a three-run homer. Jenny Nelson also homered, she tripled in game one, and Benike hit a double.

"They (Rochester) hit the ball very well today," Riverland coach Lisa Quednow-Bickler said.

Riverland (5-3, 3-3) looks to play in a little warmer weather today when they host North Hennepin in a double header beginning at 3:30 p.m.