Tornadoes cruise in opener, 18-1

Erik Boal

NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- Allison Butchko stepped into the circle for the

Eagle Rock High softball team in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday

with a one-run lead.

Fifty-five pitches, 15 batters, six walks, one hit batter, four hits,

four errors, four stolen bases, eight wild pitches, 11 runs, 37 minutes

and o7 only f7 two outs later, the junior departed with a 10-run

deficit.

And despite a valiant effort by freshman Erica Kula to come in and

stop the bleeding, Hoover showed little compassion for her or the rest of

the Eagles in its first-round contest of the 10th annual Hoover Softball

Classic, tallying seven more runs and eight additional hits en route to

an 18-1 victory.

The game, which also featured Tornado sophomore Anna Schnitger’s first

no-hitter, was called after 5 1/2 innings because of the 10-run mercy

rule.

Hoover -- which advanced to today’s semifinals at 3:15 p.m. at home

against either Burroughs or El Segundo -- had already established its

17-run cushion through 4 1/2 innings, but Eagle Rock (3-5) requested that

an additional inning be played and Tornado Coach Kirt Kohlmeier obliged.

“They paid to get in the tournament, so they might as well get their

money’s worth,” Kohlmeier said.

“Plus, it’s good because you can get everyone in and it gives the

girls a couple extra at-bats.”

And the Tornadoes (2-4) made the most of their extra plate

appearances, as 12 of Kohlmeier’s 13 players reached base and nine scored

at least once.

Senior leadoff hitter Xiomara Ferretti collected two hits and scored

four times, and Daisy Barcena -- who was three for three with two walks

-- and Valerie Estrella both scored three runs for Hoover, which

manufactured nine of its runs with two outs.

“So far, they’ve been searching for their identity and I think they

might have found it today,” said Kohlmeier, whose squad ended a two-game

skid.

“I think this will turn into a very special team, but the past couple

games it’s been hard for them to stay in the game mentally. If something

goes wrong, we tend to lose our focus.

“But today [after committing three first-inning errors, which led to

Eagle Rock’s only run] we stayed in there and that’s what I’m looking

for.”

Kohlmeier also got more of what he’s been looking for from Schnitger,

who retired 16 of the final 17 batters she faced and finished with five

strikeouts.

Linda Martinez had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the

Tornadoes, who also received a two-run single from Nancy Solano and hits

from Cathaleen Martinez, Catie Rohrig and Rebecca Wingett.

BOX SCORE

Eagle Rock*1*0*0*0*0*0*--*1*0*8

Hoover*11*2*0*5*0*x*--*18*12*3

Game called because of 10-run mercy rule

Eagle Rock*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K

Butchko*0.2*11*8*4*6*1

E. Kula*4.1*7*3*8*4*0

Totals*5*18*11*12*10*1

Hoover*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K

Schnitger*6*1*0*0*1*5

WP-Schnitger (2-4).

LP-Butchko (2-4).

SB: ER-Cruz; H-Barcena 2, Estrella, Ferretti, L. Martinez, Rohrig,

Summers.