A second-inning error was the snowflake that began an avalanche.
An overthrow to first on what would have been the third out led to the first of many runs for the Sturgeon Bay High School softball team, which scored 11 unanswered runs in an 11-0 win at Shawano on Friday.
Abby Denesh got the win for the Clippers, who took advantage of three Hawks’ errors in the victory.
Shawano coach Kevin Isaacson said the Hawks were experimenting a bit in this final game of the regular season, in preparation for postseason play that begins Tuesday.
“Anytime you’re trying something new, it’s not 100 percent successful,” Isaacson said. “The kids learned some things tonight, and we need to go on from here to concentrate on the playoffs.”
Erin Cerveny got the start for Shawano and was relieved in the second inning, with a scoreless tie and two Sturgeon Bay runners on. Sydney Schreiber entered in relief and was pitching when the unearned Clippers’ run broke the scoreless tie. They held a 2-0 advantage into the third and kept adding to it.
Sturgeon Bay loaded the bases and used three consecutive one-run singles to extend the lead to 6-0.
Two more throwing errors in the fifth inning sank any Shawano hopes of a late rally. The Hawks committed one throwing error on an infield grounder that put a runner at first; the second loaded the bases and was followed by more runs.
Sturgeon Bay turned its 8-0 advantage into an 11-0 lead in the fifth inning and held Shawano scoreless in the bottom of the inning to seal the win. Though the Clippers were stingy with the Hawks’ hitters, Isaacson said he’s confident the offense is there.
“We have the best-hitting lineup of anyone in the area,” he said. “It’s a matter of how we decide to play.”
Cerveny and Saige Henning had hits for Shawano, which dropped to 10-14 overall and 7-9 in the Bay Conference.
