Lady Eagles open season with win against Williams

Amanda Hansen did it all for the Princeton High softball team during its 10-0 season-opening home victory Tuesday.

The sophomore pitcher no-hit Williams and drove in four runs at the plate. Hansen broke open a 1-0 game in the bottom of the third inning by smashing an RBI double and came home on a triple by Gaby Rodriguez.

Hansen struck out nine batters in five innings of no-hit ball and allowed three baserunners. Williams catcher Ashlee Povlsen walked in the first inning and two runners reached on errors later in the game.

"They play really well together, they're working well as a team so I'm pretty impressed, pretty impressed," Princeton coach Mary Lohse said about her team.

The Eagles took the lead in the second inning without getting a hit. Maryssa Martin led off with a walk, moved to second base on a wild pitch, stole third base and came home on an RBI groundout by Ashley McMartin.

Rodriguez and Hansen combined to drive in three runs in the third and the Eagles put the game out of reach with a six-run fourth inning.

McMartin reached on an error to lead off the fourth inning before Xochitl Gonzalez and Martin walked to set up a bases-clearing triple by Hansen. Brittany Ewing drove Hansen in with a single, advanced to third base on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Rodriguez walked, stole second and later scored on a wild pitch to close out the scoring.

"A lot of the girls have played on CARD, AAU and stuff like that, so they've got experience with different speeds of pitchers. I can't take any credit for what they know, they came pretty well-trained," Lohse said.

The Yellowjackets had their best chance to score in the top of the first inning when Povlsen walked, stole second base and moved to third with two outs, but Hansen forced a groundout to end the threat.

Julie Ramirez reached on an error with one out in the fourth but didn't advance, and Carolina Mendiola lined a hard shot that bounced out of an Eagles outfielder's glove to lead off the fifth inning but was left stranded at third base.

Williams pitcher Ashlin Covarrubias threw in a few games last year, but will take on an expanded role as the team's ace. Despite allowing 10 runs, Covarrubias allowed just five hits.

"(Covarrubias) is one of those players who will do anything for the team so she'll stay out there as long as possible which is really helpful as long as we're working on finding a back-up. That's the kind of pitcher that we need right now," Yellowjackets coach Erin Flanigan said.

CONTACT Kirk Barron at 458-2121 or kbarron@tcnpress.com.