Redbird girls win both halves of doubleheader

• Dani Bany

Photo by Travis Lang/www.tlangphoto.com Alexandria pitcher Dani Bany pitched the Cardinals to a 3-1 win in the Cardinals’ opener against Sauk Rapids-Rice Tuesday. The team also won the nightcap 10-0.

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It was a doubleheader sweep for the Cardinal softball team, highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of Ally Teclaw, as they hosted Sauk Rapids-Rice Tuesday in Central Lakes Conference action.

The Redbirds opened with a 3-1 win, then capped that with a 10-0 shutout of the Storm to earn their fifth straight conference victory.

Dani Bany and Jacque Brown each earned a pitching win as Bany grabbed game one, giving up just three hits and two walks, striking out three.

“She was in command from start to finish,” said Card coach Bob Cunniff. “The defense was also strong behind her as they played perfect in the field.”

Teclaw led the offense with her homer in the fourth to score Sam Dale and put Alexandria up for good 2-1. Teclaw also contributed a double for a 2-for-3 performance.

The Cards added an insurance run in the fifth as Kate Gearman singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dale.

Brown pitched a stellar game in the nightcap, giving up just six hits, which never amounted to a run, and not allowing a walk while striking out one.

“A solid effort on her part,” said Cunniff of his junior hurler’s effort.

The game was a close one until the fifth when the Cardinals broke open the 1-0 contest with five runs. They added four more in the sixth to cut the game short at six innings.

Alexandria again played perfect in the field and offensively racked up 16 hits in game two.

It was in the fifth that 10 Cardinals batted against the Storm pitcher as Gracie Bruzek, Gearman and Dale all singled to load the bases.

Courtney Richardson then rapped a two RBI single, with Dale also scoring on an error by the leftfielder.

A double by Teclaw scored Richardson, and Teclaw crossed home plate on an RBI single by Allie Thul.

The offensive output continued in the sixth inning as Dale opened things up by scoring on a Richardson triple.

Richardson then scored on a double by Teclaw, who came home on a single by Shenae Morical.

Morical also found her way home on an RBI single by Alicia Montbriand.

“Richardson had a big day with three hits,” said Cunniff. “Teclaw also had a big day with two hits.”

Alexandria is now 6-3 overall.

GAME SCORECARDS

SAUK RAPIDS-RICE 000 100 0 1-3-1

ALEXANDRIA 000 210 X 3-7-0

PITCHING – Dani Bany 7IP-3H-1R-1ER-2BB-3SO.

ALEX HITTERS – Ally Teclaw 2 hits, 2 rbi, 1 run; Sam Dale 1 hit, 1 run, 1 rbi; Dani Bany 1; Allie Thul 1; Kate Gearman 1 hit, 1 run; Alicia Montbriand 1.

ALEXANDRIA 010 540 10-16-0

SAUK RAPIDS 000 000 0-6-3

PITCHING – Jacque Brown 6IP-6H 0R-0ER-0BB-1SO.

ALEX HITTERS – Courtney Richardson 3 hits, 3 rbi, 1 run; Shenae Morical 3 hits, 1 rbi, 1 run; Teclaw 2 hits, 2 rbi, 1 run; Gearman 2 hits, 1 run; Thul 2 hits, 2 rbi; Gracie Bruzek 1 hit, 2 runs; Carrie Wendland 1 hit; Dale 1 hit, 1 run; Montbriand 1 hit, 1 rbi.

SATURDAY SOFTBALL

Alexandria hosts a softball tournament tomorrow, Saturday, at Discovery Middle School

Alexandria will play Minneapolis Southwest at 10 a.m., with St. Michael-Albertville playing Maple Lake at the same time.

The winners will play each other at noon, with the losers facing each other at the same time.

The Cardinal JV tournament will follow the same format

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, softball, cardinals, sauk, rapids, rice