Softball: Lindsay Efflandt, Cary-Grove battle past Conant

Updated: March 20, 2012 8:18PM

One thing that No. 11 Cary-Grove had coming into this season was a wealth of experience. And when they trailed 2-0 after a half-inning against No. 2 Conant Tuesday, that experience wasted little time raring its head.

The Trojans answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and used that as momentum during a 5-2 win.

“I told the kids in the huddle those were my favorite two runs of the game,” said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson, whose team improved to 4-0. “They put us on the ropes the first inning and we just came right back, and after that it was chipping away.”

Taylor Dunne (2-for-4, two RBI, R) tied the game in that first with a two-run single off pitcher Bri Cavin (6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 4 SO, 3 BB). Lisa Semro (2-for-3, BB) and Sara Markelonis (RBI, R) scored on the play. Miranda Cavin helped her sister’s cause in the top of the inning with a two-run single for the Cougars (3-1).

Trojans starter Lindsay Efflandt, who gave up six hits and a run while striking out eight and walking three in a complete-game effort, battled out of jams in the third and the sixth. With bases loaded in the sixth, she coaxed Allie Bauch into a soft liner back to the circle to end the threat.

“We try to just win every inning,” Dunne said. “They were ranked high and they fought hard, it was good competition.”

Efflandt helped herself in the third when she hit a two-run laser to left center, scoring Dunne (fielder’s choice) and Sarah Leudo (walk) to put the Trojans ahead 4-2. They added another insurance run in sixth on an RBI ground out to first by Markelonis.

The two teams have been trying to play for the past few years but bad weather has prevented the coveted pairing.

“We were a little out of sync today in a couple areas,” said Conant coach CathyAnn Smith after her team dropped to 3-1. “We didn’t hit with them. I liked how we kept fighting; we still have a lot of work to do. But today was not enough.

“Losses are going to happen and we have to learn by them. We just didn’t finish today.”

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