LL Softball World Series: Rowan tops Italy
Published 11:55 pm Friday, August 9, 2019
Rowan fans, including Ellen Yang (center), a member of the 2015 World Series champions, display the North Carolina state flag in the bleachers of Alpenrose Stadium. David Ball Photography Aug. 9, 2019
Rowan’s Avrelle Harrell comes into third base during the team’s two-out rally to break the game open in the third inning. David Ball Photography Aug. 9, 2019
Rowan’s Kennedi Fisher moves down the first-base line after making contact in her first at-bat of Friday’s round-robin game. David Ball Photography Aug. 9, 2019
Staff report
PORTLAND, Ore. — Rowan’s Little League softball team remained unbeaten at the World Series, taking advantage of six errors and easily defeating Italy, 12-2, in pool play.
Campbell Schaen pitched well on Friday for the second straight game, striking out five batters (with no walks) in three innings.
Carmen Freeze came on to pitch the final two innings. The game ended after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Kynlee Dextraze banged out three hits to lead Rowan, while Riley Haggas contributed two hits and two RBIs. Emma Rae Cline had a bases-clearing single that broke the game open.
Rowan scored three runs in four of its five innings.
Rowan, now 2-0 in pool play, got off to a quick start against the Europe/Africa champions. Lauren Vanderpool walked in the top of the first inning. Schaen followed with a single. Vanderpool scored on a passed ball, Avrelle Harrell’s groundout made it 2-0, and Rowan tacked on another run on an error.
Rowan made it 6-0 in the third when Riley Haggas walked and Dextraze and Ashley Yang singled to load the bases. Cline’s hit to center field scored all the baserunners.
Rowan kept it rolling with three more runs in the fourth. Haggas and Dextraze had run-scoring singles in the inning.
Schaen and Haggas had RBIs in the fifth.
Italy (0-2) managed to score single runs in the fourth and fifth.
Rowan plays host Oregon on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time), televised on ESPN+.
Rowan will play Canada on Sunday night to complete pool play.
With two wins, Rowan is assured of being one of the four teams from its five-team pool that will advance to Monday’s quarterfinals. Getting the No. 1 seed from the pool is the main goal now.
In other games on Saturday, Mexico won its second straight outing with a 13-5 pounding of Iowa and Hawaii moved to 3-0 with a 7-0 victory against Philippines.
Oregon carried a 2-0 record into a late Friday game against Louisiana (1-1).
Rowan 303 33 — 12 9 0
Italy 000 11 — 2 4 6
W — Schaen. L — Emma Silvia.
Leading hitters — Rowan: Dextraze 3-for-4, RBI; Haggas 2-for-3, 2 RBIs; Cline 1-for-2, 3 RBIs; Vanderpool 3 runs; Yang 1-for-1; Kassidy Sechler 1-for-1.
