Kennedy’s Turner Stops Rosary

Rosary had the offensive firepower, but Kennedy pitcher Michelle Turner cooled off the Royals on Tuesday.

Five of Rosary’s starters came into the game batting above .400, but Turner gave up just one hit and struck out 13 as she led Kennedy, ranked third in the county, to a 2-1 victory over fifth-ranked Rosary in a nonleague softball game at Cypress Park.

Only Dana Kenney’s leadoff single in the sixth inning kept Turner (4-1) from pitching a no-hitter.

Rosary (5-3) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Kenney walked to start the game, scored from third on a passed ball with one out.

But the lead was short-lived as Kennedy (5-2) tied the score, 1-1, in its half of the inning. Catcher Lorraine Geiger hit an RBI single to left field to score Turner, who reached on a two-out double, from second base.

“Offensively and defensively she really came through for us,” Kennedy Coach Sue Hall said of Turner, who had two hits. “If she doesn’t beat them pitching, she’ll beat them on the bases. She’s a big threat.”

Neither team made any noise until the bottom of the third, when Kennedy’s Breanne Sabol reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored two batters later on Geiger’s single to left.

That run turned out to be enough for Turner to get the win as she struck out five and gave up only Kenney’s sixth-inning single.

“She’s dominant,” Rosary Coach Tom Tice said. “We’ve put up some good numbers so far, but we haven’t faced anybody her caliber. There was no lack of effort, we just fell short.”