Koester’s big day not enough

Alexis Koester has been up and down at the plate in the early season for Tuscola’s softball team, but this past Friday she moved to the front of the line. The senior shortstop went 3 for 3, including a solo homerun in a seven-inning pitchers’ duel. Though her offensive outburst wasn’t enough as the Lady Warriors fell to an unbeaten Fisher squad 3-1 despite a stellar outing by junior hurler Ashton Smith.

Smith scattered six hits and two walks out over seven innings of work giving up two earned runs. Tuscola out hit the Bunny’s 7 to 6 and had runners on base in six of the seven frames in their second loss of the season. Offensively the Warriors just couldn’t string enough hits together leaving seven stranded.

Fisher got it started in the top of the second pushing a run across thanks to a single and a well-executed sac bunt that put the runner into scoring position. Koester looked to tie it up in the bottom singling with two gone but was left on base. Ashtyn Clark then doubled with one gone in the third for the Warriors but a failed bunt steal attempt ended the threat. Fisher, however, added to their lead with one in the fourth and another in the fifth increasing their lead to 3-0.

Tuscola threatened in both frames as well but, again, could not find their way home. Kendyl Ring and Allison Clark both added hits to their stat sheet in the sixth, moved to second and third and no further as the two teams headed to the final frame. Enter Koester and a solo shot to open the bottom of the seventh to get the Warriors on the board. Jackie Watson followed one batter later with a single putting the tying run at the plate with one gone, and that’s where it would stay as the Bunnies secured the non-conference victory to stay unbeaten.