Trojans' Win Softball Opener, Despite no Hits

The way the pitching duel between Cary-Grove’s Lindsay Efflandt and Antioch’s Olivia Duehr was going, it appeared the two teams would play until sunset before one team would score a run.

Finally in the sixth inning, the Trojans were able to scratch out two runs on four Sequoits errors as Cary won their season-opener 2-1 without the benefit of a single hit in the game.

The inning started when Sara Markelonis reached on an error. Eleni Polites then bunted and Duehr threw the ball over first baseman Kat Dinklenburg’s head.

Dinklenburg attempted to throw Markelonis out at third but committed the third error of the inning, allowing Markelonis to score and send Polites to third.

With Alexis Haley up next, Duehr’s first pitch went in the dirt and catcher Amber Mysliwiec’s throw to third went into left field to allow Polites to score to make it a 2-0 game.

Antioch would score a run in the seventh inning to cut the lead in half but Efflandt struck out Sam Kozenski to end the game. Efflandt finished the game striking out 12 while not walking a single batter. Efflandt said it was nice to get back into game action.

“It feels great to be out here with the team again. We have a great team chemistry and have been anxious to get out here again,” Efflandt said. “At the beginning of the game, we were all pumped up and knew that the most important thing was to play as a team. Everyone has their own job to do and I think that’s why we were successful today.”

Cary coach Tammy Olson said that it just takes one minor error to make a big difference in a game with two top-notch pitchers.

“With two pitchers like this, it tends to be how this is. Who makes the mistake and who doesn‘t and when it is made,” Olson said. “We were blessed to get them back to back when we came through and that’s the difference in the game. Olivia pitched a tremendous game and so did Lindsay. It’s a hard way to start, you feel like you are in the end of the season when you are facing competition like this and going hard. Both of them did a tremendous job.”

C-G will travel to Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. for their next game.