By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Rogersville, Mo. — Referring to Thursday’s clash between Rogersville and McDonald County a pitchers’ duel would be a considerable understatement.
While both teams entered the matchup averaging over eight runs per game, the two lineups managed only three hits between them.
Freshman Halle Miles tossed a no-hitter for Rogersville, who scrambled to a 3-0 victory.
One of three Lady Wildcats to throw significant innings this season, Miles — 39.3 innings with a 1.60 ERA — attributed her success to corner location and a quality rise ball.
“My outside pitch — they really swung at that and whiffed,” Miles said. “And then I really liked my rise today. That really helped build my confidence, because that’s the best I think I’ve pitched in a while.”
Miles finished her seven innings of work with eight strikeouts and no walks.
Rogersville head coach Denny McHenry praised his young pitcher’s control in a high-pressure situation.
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“[Miles] didn’t miss much tonight,” McHenry said. “When she did miss, she missed in the right spot. For a freshman to do that … it tells you they’re actually progressing and growing up, so that’s good to see. I mean, that’s arguably the best team in Southwest Missouri, or one of the best teams, so it’s impressive.”
At the plate, Rogersville didn’t fare much better against McDonald County’s Madeline McCall with only a trio of hits; however, the Lady Wildcats were able to take advantage of limited opportunities.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jenna McKenzie — hitting from the bottom of the Rogersville order — drilled a first-pitch strike into right field for a one-out triple.
Angie Coambes drove McKenzie in on the very next at-bat with a ball up the middle to give the Lady Wildcats the lead.
McHenry wasn’t surprised to see McKenzie finally break through and record the game’s biggest hit.
“[McKenzie] is one that we [use a designated player] a little bit for, because she has struggled a little bit,” McHenry said. “But, as a coach, you don’t worry about players like her, because they come to practice every day and work as hard as they can. At some time it’s going to click. At some moment, they’re going to make a big play. You just expect it and know it’s going to happen.”
McDonald County seemed poised to break through in the fifth inning with Miles forced to go deep into pitch counts to retire batters.
McCall and Kaylee Eberly each fouled off multiple pitches to take Miles nine and ten pitches deep; however, the freshman right-hander was able to get a pair of fly balls to end the inning.
McHenry had confidence in Miles’ ability to work through the long counts.
“[Miles] has played a lot of softball, and she’s been in a lot of big games in the summertime with her travel team,” McHenry said. “We just tell her to stay within herself — you don’t need to do any more than what you know — and let the kids play behind her.”
Rogersville added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth, when Coambes and Miles reached base on a single and a walk.
A pair of passed balls and a stolen base allowed Coambes to score, then Jenna Lane followed up with an RBI single to score Miles for the game’s final run.
While the end result wasn’t what he’d hoped for, McDonald County head coach Skyler Rawlins was pleased with McCall’s performance in the circle.
“[McCall] moved it around well, and she was getting ahead in the count pretty good tonight,” Rawlins said. “I think she gave up maybe two hits maybe, and she gave us a chance to win. An offense has to do something, and the bats were kind of dead tonight, but she gave us a chance all night long.”
McCall finished with 12 strikeouts, three hits and two walks in her six innings of work.
Rawlins also had a feeling the game would be extremely close and lamented his team’s flat start.
“We knew it would come down to a few plays — either they would make, or we wouldn’t make,” Rawlins said. “And that’s kind of where it went tonight. Both pitchers threw very well, and I would have liked to see us come out a little quicker, a little sharper, there early, but they’re a good team, and you’ve got to play your best.”
Rogersville (17-3) opens up play in the Crackerjack Shack Springfield Invitational Friday, Oct. 4, against Wentzville Holt. McDonald County (15-2) hosts Webb City on Monday, Oct. 7.
Varsity Final: Rogersville – 3, McDonald County – 0
McDonald County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0
Rogersville 0 0 1 0 0 2 x — 3
Hits: McDonald County – 0, Rogersville – 3
Errors: McDonald County – 0, Rogersville – 0
LOB: McDonald County – 2, Rogersville – 3
3B: Rogersville (Jenna McKenzie – 1)
RBI: Rogersville (Angie Coambes – 1, Jenna Lane – 1)
SB: Rogersville (Angie Coambes – 2)
McDonald County Pitching
Madeline McCall (6.00 IP, 12K, 3H, 2BB, 3ER)
Rogersville Pitching
Halle Miles (7.00 IP, 8K, 0H, 0BB, 2HBP, 0ER)
Time of game: 1:43
