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Cochran pitches Lady Busters to season-opening twinbill split
Published 2/13/2012 in Sports
By ADAM HOLT
aholt@gctelegram.com
Freshman pitcher Sarah Cochran was dominant in her first start, as the Garden City Community College softball team opened its season on the road with a split against Clarendon (Texas) College on Friday.
The Lady Broncbusters cruised behind Cochran as she held the Bulldogs to two runs on two hits in an 8-2 season-opening win. In the second game, three early Clarendon runs were enough, as the Bulldogs won, 5-2, to secure the split.
"I wish we would've had both games," GCCC head coach Trina Moquett said.
Kendra Schinkus limited the Busters to two runs on five hits in an ugly defensive effort from Garden City.
Third baseman Haley Wink was credited with three errors, including two to start the home half of the first inning, while Chelsea Knabe had two and Cassee Ames had one. An error by Knabe allowed Clarendon's first run to score, as she misplayed a ball hit by Christine Blankenship.
Garden City managed just the five hits, but drew six walks in the game. The Busters got both their runs in the fourth inning, on a single from Knabe and a sacrifice fly from Ames.
"We had six errors and didn't hit that pitcher like we should have," Moquett said of the loss.
In the teams' first game though, it was all Cochran. The Bulldogs managed a run each in the final two innings, but it was already 8-0 in favor of the Busters by the time Clarendon put its first run on the board.
Cochran helped her own effort with a solo home run, one of two hit by the Busters. Melissa Marshall added the other, as part of her 1-for-2, three-run, two-walk game.
The Busters scored twice in the first inning with two outs, thanks to an Alyssa Strobehn double and Aspen Kinkaid single.
Meanwhile, Cochran set down the first eight Bulldogs she faced, before giving up a walk to Bailey Armstrong. She ended the inning with a fielder's choice with the next batter. The Westminster, Colo., native set down the next six batters she faced.
Cochran went seven innings, with two strikeouts, one walk and one earned run allowed.
"Cochran, she came out and just kind of shut them down," Moquett said. "So it was really nice to see that."
Eight of the 10 Busters who played in the game got a hit, led by a 3-for-4 performance from Strobehn.
Moquett said the good first start by Cochran will be good for her, and the team's, confidence.
"Oh yeah. I think, that first game, the girls came out and I think when Cochran's out there, it gives our batters a lot of confidence and they're able to relax," Moquett said.
Garden City returns home for two games on Wednesday with Frank Phillips, at 1 and 3 p.m. at the Tangeman Sports Complex.
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Garden City 8, Clarendon 2
Garden City 200 114 0 — 8 12 2
Clarendon 000 001 1 — 2 2 2
Clarendon 5, Garden City 2
Garden City 000 200 0 — 2 5 6
Clarendon 300 110 x — 5 5 0
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