Softball: Betzold blanks Stars

• Photo: Softball

Farmington pitcher Ashley Betzold delivers a pitch during last Tuesday’s 6-0 shutout win over Holy Angels. Betzold also supplied a three-run double.

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One big inning was all Farmington needed to score a 6-0 shutout of Holy Angels in its home opener last Tuesday afternoon.

The Tigers, who were retired in order through four innings, plated all six of their runs with six hits in the decisive fifth inning. Aleah Williamson started the rally with a sharply-hit single, then Danny Muelken and Alyssa Hagen followed with singles to load the bases. Williamson came around to score the game’s first run on a suicide squeeze bunt by Paige Lindrud.

Alyssa Kalmes followed with another single and Taylor Yousse walked to re-load the bases. Ashley Betzold then provided the biggest hit of the inning, a three-run double that made it 6-0.

The run support was more than enough for Betzold, who pitched her fourth career shutout. She held Holy Angels to just two hits, struck out six and worked around four errors to keep the game scoreless after two innings.

“The game started out a little rough,” Farmington coach Rob Laden said. “We managed to make up for those errors with some good defense and pitching to get out of those early innings without any runs scored against us. At times our defense looked great, at other times our inexperience was creeping its way into the game.”

The Tigers (1-1) were scheduled to play again Thursday, April 14, at Northfield, but that game was moved to Wednesday, April 20, due to rain. Saturday’s game against Lakeville North was postponed due to snow and no make-up date has been set. The team plays again at 4:30 this afternoon at New Prague.

Tags: sports, farmington, tigers, prep, softball