Bunch leads Slicers to first win

Updated: April 6, 2011 3:26PM

The Bishop Noll softball game with LaPorte was over and Warriors' coach Ralph Laramie didn't exactly mince words about his feelings on how the game went.

"I'm just glad it's early in the year so we could get this out of the way," he said.

Mind you, his desire to make a hasty exit stage right had nothing to do with the 30-degree weather which would make a penguin order some hot chocolate. His anguish had more to do with losing four starters to injury within a seven-day period, two with broken legs.

And then came LaPorte pitcher Meghan Bunch to break the Warriors spirit.

Bunch tossed a complete-game shutout and drove in what turned out to be the winning run as the Slicers won their first game of the season 5-0 over Noll.

"Meghan pitched well today," said LaPorte coach Bob Severs.

"We're extremely happy to have three pitchers we can depend on at all times. We're depending on her to do that all year."

Bunch, along with a three-hit performance by Jessica Craft, was the key. The junior pitcher gave up only four hits while striking out eight and also being her own best offensive weapon in the third inning.

Craft led off the inning with a single and almost scored on a double by Sam Becker. Bunch laced a single down to right field to score Craft and Becher, which is all the she needed.

"When I hit the double, I think it gave our team a little more confidence because it was the first two runs we've scored," Bunch said.

Skyler Kreamer, Holly Bunch, and Craft also had RBIs for Laporte (1-1), which handed Noll its first loss of the season.

At least on the field. Off the field it's a little different with Noll because of an early-season injury bug. And apparently no place is safe for the Warriors because one player broke her ankle while at home.

"That's no excuse, though because we should have hit today," Laramie said. "When you don't put the ball in play, it doesn't matter who you face. But she (Bunch) was good and I'm glad we faced her because we learned something from this."

Alexis Botsford contributed from her ninth spot in the order getting on base all four times she came to the plate, including two doubles.

Charlotte Williamson got on base twice for Noll (1-1) with a single and a walk.

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