“Beware of Spring Storm” read the Alexis United fan’s shirt.
A spring storm hovering over Knoxville on Wednesday, May 26, forced the Orion Chargers and the United Red Storm to postpone their sectional semifinal game a day.
When the game was finally played, a spring storm of strikes from Katie Bertelsen shut down the Chargers, who suffered a 3-0 loss to end their season.
Orion coach Shelly Hutton said she told the Chargers how proud she was of them.
She had coached the seniors since they were 10 years old and playing on the original Orion Express team.
“It’s a tough group to say goodbye to,” Hutton said. “It’s the end of one era and the beginning of another one.”
Kelly Hutton, Megan Blumenshein, Hillary Taets and Jena Malmen ended their careers as regional champions.
“We have a really strong group coming back,” coach Hutton said.
One of those expected to return next year is sophomore Ashlee Amador, who took over the pitching chores in the third inning.
“Wow, did she step up,” Hutton said.
Kelly Hutton had started the game, but her specialty is throwing off-speed pitches she keeps down.
That did not fit “the style of game the ump called,” the coach said. “If she is not getting that strike call, it’s going to be a tough day.”
Amador keeps the ball up, Hutton noted.
Hutton took the loss. Over two innings, she was charged with one earned run on three hits and two walks. She struck out one.
Amador gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks. She whiffed three.
After Thursday’s win over Orion, United went on to beat Illini Bluffs for the sectional championship.
After a storm rolled through the Orion area on Monday, May 31, United defeated Forreston 4-0 to win the super-sectional at Charger Field.
United advanced to the state tournament for the third year in a row.
Thursday’s game was played at the softball complex just off I-74 at the junction of Routes 97 and 150.
“We had runners on,” Hutton said. “We just couldn’t get that one hit.”
The Chargers had a chance to get to Bertelsen early.
Bertelsen is one of the state’s dominant pitchers. Going into the state tournament, she has an earned-run average of 0.57. She has given up only 79 hits and 32 walks while striking out 420 in 222 1/3 innings. Her record is 28-5.
Settling into the batter’s box, Abby Taets led off the first with a walk on a full-count pitch from Bertelsen. On the first pitch she saw,
Blumenshein laid down a sacrifice bunt to the first baseman.
With Taets on second, the next batter worked the count to full and then struck out.
Clean-up hitter Malmen also forced Bertelsen to go to a full count before issuing a base on balls.
Meanwhile, Abby Taets went to third on a wild pitch.
The next batter struck out on three straight pitches from Bertelsen.
United scored its first run in the bottom of the first. Megan Patterson popped up to first baseman Hillary Taets, who went to her knees for the ball.
The next batter, Gina Long, smashed the ball over center fielder Kylee Peterson’s head to the fence. As Peterson retrieved the ball, Long attempted to score on an inside-the-park home run.
But Peterson whipped the ball to catcher Malmen, who tagged out Long at the plate.
After the Storm’s Summer Foster walked on four straight pitchers, a passed ball sent her to second. She scored on Kaitlyn Winkler’s single into right field.
Michelle Ravel then walked on a full-count pitch.
Hutton got out of the inning when Augusta Chandler grounded out to second baseman Taylor Larson.
The Chargers went down in order in the top of the second, on two strikeouts and a line out to the third baseman.
In the United half of the second, the first batter grounded out to shortstop Blumenshein.
Alex Fell then singled.
Hutton whiffed Bertelsen, who fouled off the first two pitches while trying to bunt. Hutton then caught Bertelsen looking at strike three.
Patterson did bunt, but Hillary Taets fielded it and tagged her in the baseline.
In the top of the third, the Chargers again went down in order—this time on a strikeout, a pop up to the third baseman and a ground out to the first baseman.
United picked up two more runs in the bottom of the third. Long blasted a double into left center.
After Hutton went to a 2-0 count on the next batter, Foster, coach Hutton brought in Amador to relieve her.
On a 3-2 pitch, Amador struck her out.
Winkler reached on an error that also sent Long to third. After Winkler stole second, a passed ball let Long score and Winkler get to third.
The next batter, Ravel, grounded out to Blumenshein at short. Winkler scored on the play for a 3-0 lead.
Amador then struck out Chandler.
The Chargers had more baserunners in the top of the fourth.
Hillary Taets singled into left center. The next batter popped up to the shortstop.
Amador walked on a 3-1 pitch and gave way to a pinch runner.
After the next Charger whiffed, Larson popped up to the second baseman. Long dropped the ball when the pinch runner collided with her. The interference call resulted in the third out.
Amador set the Storm batters down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
She took the first out herself, fielding a grounder and throwing to Hillary Taets at first base.
Fell and pinch hitter Ashlynn Winkler popped up to third baseman Hutton.
In the top of the fifth, the Chargers went down on a pop up to the pitcher and groundouts to the third baseman and the shortstop.
The Red Storm had two baserunners in the bottom of the fifth, but Charger second baseman Larson made a great catch of a liner to end the scoring threat.
As the sixth inning began, Hillary Taets walked with one out.
Malmen drove a single into the outfield.
But Bertelsen whiffed the next two batters.
With two outs in their half of the sixth, United had a runner on first when Bertelsen came to bat. She singled, but Larson threw to third to get the lead runner.
The Chargers had their 7-8-9 batters coming up in the top of the seventh.
Larson clobbered the first pitch she saw, but the second baseman drifted back and settled under it for the first out.
Niki Cook singled between the shortstop and second base.
Sam Nimrick worked the count to full before delivering a hard-hit ball, which the center fielder caught.
Leadoff hitter Abby Taets flied out to the left fielder to end the game.
“They put the ball in play,” Hutton said. “That’s all I asked.”
The Chargers finished with three hits, one each by Hillary Taets, Malmen and Cook. All were singles.
Drawing walks off Bertelsen were Abby Taets, Hillary Taets, Malmen and Amador.
Bertelsen pitched seven innings of shutout ball. She had three hits and four walks while striking out eight.
