Green Wave shuts out Tritons 3-0
Fort Myers senior Lindsey Richardson likes her team’s approach, particularly the hard work they’re displaying in practice. If they can continue to scratch out a few runs, the ace pitcher will be even happier.
Richardson got all the support she needed Tuesday in a key District 5A-15 clash against visiting Mariner, and did the rest on the mound. She faced only 22 batters, one over the minimum, and recorded a no-hitter in the Green Wave’s 3-0 win over the Tritons.
Richardson finished with 13 strikeouts. The Tritons’ lone baserunner came in the top of the fifth when sophomore MacKenzie Hunt hit a high pop up that was dropped by the catcher.
The Green Wave (10-5, 5-0 district) pushed one run across in the fourth and two more in the fifth inning. It took the combination of some fielding errors by the Tritons (7-5, 4-2) and some timely hits by the Wave.
“We’ve been practicing really hard,” said Richardson, a USF signee. “It felt so good to score, we’ve been having trouble.”
The Tritons had played their best softball of the season entering Tuesday’s game. Their recent stretch included five straight wins and a 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten North Fort Myers.
Against Richardson, though, they consistently fell behind in the count and were unable to catch up to her power fastball.
Junior Nikki Roderiques seemed to be the closest to breaking up the no-hitter. She led off the game with a fly ball to left, but Fort Myers’ Sara Kaner made a leaping grab. Roderiques grounded out in the fourth and sixth innings, getting called out on close plays at first.
“I think our girls were nervous,” Mariner coach Bill Stoudt said. “They weren’t ready to hit her.”
Richardson improved to 6-4, but it’s a bit deceiving since three of the losses were by scores of 1-0. Mariner sophomore Carrie Grigiski also delivered a strong outing, but the Tritons weren’t as sound defensively.
Sydney Sheehan led off the fourth with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Kaner hit a short fly ball to left, but Hunt was unable to make a running catch, allowing Sheehan to score.
The Tritons’ fielding became more of an issue in the fifth when they committed three errors on infield ground balls. With the bases loaded, Richardson had the biggest hit of the game, a two-run double to the gap in left-center.
With no outs, the Wave had a chance to tack on more, but the Tritons came up with a few clutch defensive plays. Roderiques, playing second base, caught a line drive off the bat of Kaner and fired to third for a double play and Hunt caught a deep fly ball off the bat of Theresa Samstag in left field.
In the bottom of the third the Tritons also turned a double play. Third baseman Samantha Greenwell fielded a grounder and threw to first for one and Samantha Rapp went back to third for the second out.
“We can’t give good teams extra outs,” Stoudt said. “We gave them seven outs one inning and six in another inning, that’s where those runs came from.”
The Tritons take a break from district play and head to the Tarpon Classic Friday and Saturday. They’ll face South Fort Myers Friday and Charlotte and Port Charlotte the following day.
Mariner 000 000 0 – 0 0 6
Fort Myers 000 120 x – 3 6 1
W – Richardson. L – Carrie Grigiski.
2B – Richardson (FM).