Brickies exact revenge

Updated: April 22, 2011 2:00PM

HOBART - Jaclyn Sandilla didn't forget about last year's Northwest Crossroads Conference loss at Highland.

Abby Adams didn't forget about it, either.

In fact, everyone connected with Hobart's softball team didn't forget about that heartbreaking loss in 13 innings.

"We've been talking about it since the season started,'' Adams said. "We really wanted to whup them. We really wanted to win.''

The Brickies (2-5, 1-2) accomplished what they wanted by beating the Trojans 6-2 on Wednesday.

"We didn't want it to be close, we wanted to beat them like we did,'' said Adams, who went 2-for-4, drove in a run and scored one.

Sandilla, Hobart's starting and winning pitcher, pitched all 13 innings in that difficult loss to Highland (4-4, 1-2) last year, so she wanted it to be different this time.

She picked up the win, recording six strikeouts, while allowing only five hits and one earned run.

"Going back and thinking about last year's game was really tough,'' Sandilla said. "We talked about how much we wanted to win this game. We wanted to beat them bad and I'm glad we did. I felt comfortable out there today. I felt like I had a good defense behind me.''

Highland starting pitcher Lauren Bultema, only a freshman, went four innings, allowing seven hits and five runs (two were earned) before giving way to sophomore Tiffany Morton, who allowed a hit, a run, and walked four in two innings.

Tiffany Cundiff went 2-for-3, scored a run and had an RBI, while Dana Claussen went 1-for-3, drove in a run and also scored once. Sandilla and Jordan Benton each had an RBI.

"I'm really proud of my girls,'' Hobart coach Katrina Lucas said. "In a lot of our games this season, we've done well either offensively, or defensively, but really never put both together on the same day until today. Everybody played really well today. The girls were really fired-up for this game. They really wanted to win.''

First-year Highland coach Erin Zeller is working hard to overcome the team's lack of playing experience, along with the absence of a couple of key players who aren't playing right now because of an injury and an illness.

"I think we're just kind of struggling with our consistency right now,'' Zeller said. "We're looking forward to progressing and we're still trying to find our starting nine. The consistency has been the big thing. We'll get eight runs one day and zero the next.

"Highland's always going to be competitive and we will be competitive this year. Our leaders right now are Kylie Hirchak and Brittany Renninger. We're looking for a couple of others to follow along with them.''

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