Lady Blackhawks softball remains perfect with sweep of Clarkston

The Cheney softball team rolled into spring break with three wins last week. The Lady Blackhawks 10-runned visiting Priest River last Tuesday for a five-inning, 12-2 win, then traveled south on Saturday to sweep Clarkston in a Great Northern League doubleheader.

Against Priest River, the Lady Blackhawks opened a 7-1 lead with five runs in the bottom of the second inning, keyed by Meghan Krantz’s grand slam home run. Cheney added runs in the fourth and fifth for the win.

Krantz was 2 for 2 at the plate with four RBIs. Rachel Barsness was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Logan Krantz was 1 for 2 with three RBIs.

Maria Guglielmo got the win, giving up two runs on five hits while walking four and striking out two.

In game one at Clarkston, Cheney broke a 3-3 tie with five runs in the top of the second and cruised from there to the 16-3 win. Barsness led at the plate, going 3 for 4 — including a double and two home runs — with four RBIs. Meghan Krantz was 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs, and Alyson Dassow was 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

Guglielmo got the win, giving up three runs on four hits, walking one and striking out three. Cheney also benefited from six Bantams errors.

Still missing pitcher Madison Kallsen, Lady Blackhawks head coach Gary Blake brought up Haley Oliver from the junior varsity and gave her the start in game two. The sophomore did well until running into trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning — trouble helped along by a couple Cheney errors.

Oliver left with one out and a 6-3 lead, but also with the bases loaded. Guglielmo relieved her and eventually retired the side, but not before Clarkston pushed three more runs across to tie the game.

Enter the next Krantz up — Meghan’s sister Logan. The freshman accounted for five of Cheney’s next 11 runs as the Lady Blackhawks exploded offensively in the final three innings for the 17-6 win.

Logan’s two-run homer in the fifth — her first varsity dinger — gave Cheney a 7-5 lead. She smacked a two-run double in the sixth, and another RBI two-bagger in Cheney’s six-run seventh.

Krantz finished the game going 3 for 4 with six RBIs while sister Meghan was 3 for 5 and two RBIs. Mercedes Mitzimberg was 2 for 3 with an RBI, Barsness was 2 for 5 and three RBIs and Guglielmo 1 for 4 with three RBIs.

“All nine players had hits,” Blake said.

Guglielmo got the win in relief of Oliver, running her record to 7-0. Blake said Oliver pitched well for her first trip to the senior squad, giving up just two earned runs while walking three and striking out one.

“She did a really good job,” Blake said. “She was a little nervous coming up pitching for the varsity. I just told her to throw strikes and she did.”

Cheney remains undefeated at 7-0 heading into spring break, 2-0 in GNL play. It’s an unusual break, Blake said, because it’s the first time in his 13 years at Cheney that they have no games scheduled over the layoff.

Blake said he’ll hold some optional practices while encouraging those players who can’t make it to get to a batting cage and find someone to help them with some throwing and fielding practice. The Lady Blackhawks don’t return to the diamond until Tuesday, April 11, hosting Pullman in a single game.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.