A pair of Dragon miscues in the inning allowed all three runs to come across.

“It’s not the first time we’ve lost a game, and it won’t be the first time we bounce back,” said Warren coach Jon Sitler.

Micayla Bothun led off with a deep shot to center that was just out of Gracie Wood’s reach. Bothun reached third on the hit, then was able to score when the cutoff throw sailed high. Sydney Eckert followed with a single, then with two outs, Maura Fledderman singled to put runners on the corners. Allison Schlimm walked to load the bases. Warren pitcher Ellie Lobdell got Rebekka Bauer to hit a grounder, but the ball scooted under Lex Nyquist’s glove at short and Ecker and Fledderman raced home to put the Dutch up 4-1.

“We have pitched well, hit well, played defense well, played small ball well, and ran the bases well — but, lately, we haven’t put them together in the same game,” Sitler said. “That’s the key. We don’t have to be perfect, and the girls need to understand that.

Warren’s Kelsey Stuart lines up a pitch during the third inning of a game against St. Mary’s at the Legion Complex, Wednesday, May 16, 2018.

“We just need to limit the mistakes or bounce back when we do make one,” he continued. “That’s how winning is done. That’s what we didn’t do today.”

The Dutch started things with a bang in the first when Britney Shaw launched a one-out shot over the left field fence for a solo home run.

From that point, both pitchers, Fledderman and Lobdell, went into shut down mode. The duo combined to give up one run on two hits until the fourth inning.

The one run came in the Dragons half of the third. Nyquist reached on an error with two outs and stole second. Kelsey Stuart worked the count full then roped a line drive to center to bring Nyquist home and tie the game at 1-1.

That set up the top half of the fourth and neither team was able to get much going again until the seventh.

Warren shortstop Lex Nyquist fields a ground ball during the third inning of a game against St. Mary’s at the Legion Complex, Wednesday, May 16, 2018.

With one away, Lobdell struck out Maddie LeGrys, but a wild pitch on the third strike allowed her to reach first. She stole second and moved to third when Bothun reached on an error. Eckert followed with a RBI ground out. Maddie Bowes launched a shot to right field for a RBI triple to put the Dutch up 6-1.

The Dragons picked up a run in the bottom half. Julia Lobdell drew a one out walk and stole second. She moved to third on Nyquist’s ground out and scored when Stuart reached on an error.

Fledderman and Lobdell were both dominating on the mound. Fledderman surrendered two runs, one earned, on four hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts. Lobdell gave up six runs, three earned, on six hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts.

Warren now turns its attention to the District 10 playoffs. The Dragons have a first-round bye thanks to winning the Region 6 title. The official brackets are set to be released later today.

“I believe in this group, and I certainly haven’t changed my mind over the past two games,” Sitler said. “They shouldn’t either. I’m excited to get the second season rolling.”

– – –

ST MARYS (6)

LeGrys, dp, 4-1-0-0, Shaw, 3b, 4-2-2-1, Bothun, cf, 4-1-1-0, S. Eckert, 1b, 4-1-2-2, Bowes, 2b, 4-0-1-0, Grotzinger, rf, 3-0-0-0, Fledderman, p, 3-1-0-0, Schlimm, c, 2-0-0-0, Bauer, ss, 3-0-0-0, L. Eckert, f/7, 0-0-0-0, Team 31-6-6-3

WARREN (2)

Nyquist, ss, 4-1-1-0, Stuart, rf, 4-0-1-1, Chase, 1b, 4-0-2-0, Hoffman, 3b, 3-0-0-0, E. Lobdell, p, 3-0-0-0, Wood, cf, 2-0-0-0, Sitler, lf, 2-0-0-0, Munksgard, ph, 1-0-0-0, Wortman, c, 3-0-0-0, J. Lobdell, 2b, 1-1-0-0, Team 27-2-4-1

St Marys 100 300 2 – 6 6 2

Warren

001 000 1 – 2 4 4

Pitching

St Marys

Fledderman 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K

Warren

E. Lobdell 7 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, BB, 11 K

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