ROSEMONT – The Bandits used a trio of pitchers and depth hitting to beat the Scrap Yard Dawgs 4-1, Thursday night, at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
Sara Moulton got the start for the Bandits but relief pitcher Shelby Turnier (W, 3-3) picked up the win with three innings of solid work out of the bullpen. Michelle Gascoigne closed out the game with 1.2 innings of work to earn her third save of the season.
Turnier said coach Mike Steuerwald and the pitching staff have defined their roles, with a goal of each pitcher getting through the lineup at least once.
“When Moulton got into a jam, I picked her up and when I got into a jam, (Gascoigne) was able to pick me up,” Turnier said. “When it was time to make a pitching change (Steuerwald) did and to be able to pass the baton to the next pitcher is awesome.”
The Dawgs (17-13) got out to a quick lead, scoring a run in the first frame with doubles from right fielder Emilee Koerner (2-for-3, R, 2B, BB) and third baseman Amanda Fama (1-for-3, RBI, 2B).
The Bandits (13-17) were quick to respond, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. A hit by pitch followed by two-straight singles loaded the bases with no outs for third baseman Megan Blank (2-for-3, 2 RBI, R), who sent a two-RBI single to right field. A walk loaded the bases again, this time for catcher Kellsi Kloss (1-for-2, 2 RBI, SF), who added the third run of the inning via a sacrifice fly.
The Dawgs threatened to answer right back in the third, getting back-to-back hits from Koerner and second baseman Nerissa Myers (2-for-3, 2 2B) with one out. Myers’ double chased Moulton from the game but Turnier worked out of the one-out, runners at second and third jam with six pitches – inducing a fly out and groundout.
Moulton finished the game with one run allowed on five hits in 2.1 innings while striking out one batter.
The Bandits tacked on an insurance run in the fourth and threatened to extend their lead further. Back-to-back hits from Blank and right fielder Kristen Brown (1-for-2, 2B, BB) put runners on second and third with no outs and chased Dawgs’ starter Rachel Fox (L, 2-3) from the game.
Turnier said offensive depth is a strength of the team this season.
“When we show up to the field every day, we have no idea what the lineup is going to be,” she said. “Everyone is fighting for their spot and fighting for our team and if your name gets called, you have to be ready that day and we definitely were (tonight).”
Blank and Kloss, who had combined for 14 hits and 11 RBI entering Thursday’s game, provided depth scoring for the team by driving in all four runs.
Ellen Refroe Reed came in as a reliever and allowed an RBI-single to Kloss, giving the Bandits a three-run cushion. Heads-up defense from third baseman Fama got Renfroe Reed and the Dawgs out of a one-out, bases loaded jam as she caught a line drive and threw to first to double-up the runner.
Turnier worked herself out of another two-out jam in the fifth after a Myers double advanced Koerner – who drew a two-out walk earlier in the inning – to third but Turnier got Fama to flyout, ending the inning. Before the Koerner walk, Turnier had set down the first seven Dawgs she faced.
“I was trying to work both corners of the plate,” Turnier said. “Anytime you can come in as a pitcher with a lead on defense allows you to relax and trust your pitches. If you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world because your team has your back and there’s runs on the board.”
Gascoigne (SV, 3) relieved Turnier, who finished with two hits and one walk against while striking out a pair. She entered in the sixth and worked 1.2 scoreless frames to collect her third save of the season, striking out four batters in the process.
