(Avoca, IA) — AHSTW is going to win some softball games this season but they ran into one of the best pitchers in the state on Thursday night as Riley Miller threw a two hit shutout as #2 Exira EHK beat the Lady Vikes 3-0.
Miller gave up two hits with two outs in the bottom of the first inning but did not allow another hit the rest of the game. The All-State Sophomore did allow two walks in the third inning but struck out Clara Pace to end the threat. The only other runners to reach base was Pace on an error in the 6th and Brooke Lee on a hit by pitch in the 7th. Miller did not hit a batter all of last season. She finished with 12 strikeouts and also fielded 4 bunts and caught a pop up.
Miller also did it with the bat — in the top of the first inning Anna Larsen was hit in the helmet by AHSTW starter Sienna Christian and got to 2nd on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Miller drilled a pitch down the right field line was fair by a knat’s eyelash and it scored Larsen to make it 1-0 Spartans.
In the third inning, Miller reached on a leadoff walk and her courtesy runner Maya King would steal 2nd and score on a RBI single from Alissa Testroet.
Christian got out of a jam in the 5th when Larsen and Lucy Stanerson got back-to-back leadoff bunt hits but the Vikes starter got Miller to pop out and then got a grounder and a strike out to end the inning.
The Spartans tacked on another run in the 6th with a leadoff infield single from Testroet who went to 2nd on a bunt, third on a passed ball and scored on a RBI single from Jordan Mulford.
Christian did pitch well for AHSTW, giving up 3 ER on 8 hits, walking 5 and striking out 11 but took the loss.
Line Score
Exira EHK-Audubon (2-0) 3 runs, 8 hits, 1 error, 8 LOB
AHSTW (0-1) 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 6 LOB
Miller (W) 2-0
Christian (L) 0-1
Time of Game: 1:31
