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Miller home run, Anderson battery, WMU defense get softball win over Highland
WINFIELD — Molly Miller hitting a home run. Madie Anderson pitching. Anna Anderson catching and the Wolves defending equaled a 3-1 Winfield-Mount Union softball victory Monday over visiting Highland in a Super Conference North Division tilt.
Carlee Sloan led off the WMU first inning with a single and Anna Anderson followed with a double. Highland pitcher Grace Batcheller answered with a strikeout, but Jobey Malone lifted a fly ball to the outfield to sacrifice home the first run.
“What we did in the first inning, you just cannot do,” Highland coach Carrie Wieland said. “Madie is so good, she knows what to throw, who is going to chase what. We just needed one error from them and we didn’t get it. We put the ball in play, they just played good defense.”
Madie Anderson, whose double in the fourth inning made it a 3-0 lead, has sister Anna Anderson behind the plate and struck out nine Huskies with two walks and three hits.
“I’d be remiss if I did not mention our catcher because she squeezes everything and doesn’t let people advance,” WMU coach Walt Jackson said. “Behind the plate and on the rubber, those sisters do a great job for us.”
Miller made it 2-0 when she blasted the second pitch of the fourth inning to right field, loudly plunking a car’s windshield. It was the first home run she had ever hit to right. The first pitch may have been the reason for that as it was “really inside and I had to scoot out of the box a little bit,” Miller said. “The next pitch was right down the middle, maybe a little bit outside.”
It ended up outside the park. “I felt horrible because that looked like a really nice car. This was a good night because I don’t remember beating Highland very often.”
It was the sixth straight win for 7-1 WMU, which is 5-1 in the North. Highland is 7-2, 5-1.
The Huskies got on the board in the seventh inning with a blast over the left field fence from Jessica Kraus. Batcheller struck out five, walked one and gave up five hits.
"I think that is the first home run I have seen her give up in three years,“ Jackson said of Anderson. ”If we are going to be a good team, we have to take the other team’s strength away.“
Winfield-Mount Union's Molly Miller is greeted at home plate by her teammates after she sent a pitch into the windshield of a car parked behind the right field fence for a home run in a 3-1 win over Highland Monday in a Super Conference North Division. (Dana Royer/Courtesy)
Winfield-Mount Union shortstop Keely Malone cannot handle the ball for a tag on Highland’s Sarah Burton during a 3-1 WMU win Monday. (Doug Brenneman/Union)
Winfield-Mt. Union’s Molly Miller signals “W” as she heads for third base after her home run against Highland during a 3-1 WMU win Monday. (Dana Royer/Courtesy)
Winfield-Mount Union eighth-grader Josie Nelson slides into third base under the glove of Highland’s Mackinze Hora during a 3-1 WMU win Monday. (Dana Royer/Courtesy)
Highland’s Jessica Krause rounds second base after her over-the-left-field-fence home run against Winfield-Mount Union in a 3-1 loss Monday. (Dana Royer/Courtesy)
Winfield-Mt. Union first baseman Jobey Malone and Highland’s Sarah Burton look to the umpire for a call during a 3-1 WMU win Monday. (Doug Brenneman/Union)
