Cardinal Newman’s Annalise Hughen gets a hits against Hammond. Cardinal Newman’s softball team made short work of Hammond on April 16, scoring six runs in the first inning and essentially sealing the win within minutes of the first crack of the bat around 4 pm that afternoon.

When it was over in five innings, Cardinal Newman had beaten Hammond 11–0.

Sophomore Cardinal pitcher Annalise Hughen pitched a complete–game gem and helped her own cause with several hits including a first–inning triple that started the scoring onslaught.

Alex August, Erin Brown, Alex Watson, Nazley Wilson also contributed to the six–run first inning.

“We played a good game,” said Cardinal Newman coach Doug Frye. “But Hammond has also improved. They are headed in the right direction with their program.”

Skyhawks coach Ken Beasley said his team’s Friday performance was nothing like its Thursday game against Ben Lippen, a 10–4 win.

Hammond’s Grace Cobbs pitches against Cardinal Newman. “For us to have such a good start during the last game and then not to have one in this one shows the gap we still have to close in order to catch good teams like Cardinal Newman,” Beasley said.

There were a few bright spots for Hammond defensively. In the top of the second, pitcher Faythe Goins fielded an Alex Watson bouncer to the mound, threw to first baseman Rachel Hanna for one out. Hanna then fired a laser to catcher Parker Herring, who tagged Alex August sliding in at home.

Cardinal Newman racked up four more runs in the second off Goins and one more in the fifth off relief pitcher Grace Cobbs. The only real scoring threat the Skyhawks could muster was in the bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases on a walk by Sydney Beasley and hits by Caroline Penland and Brooks Burnside. But Hughen speared a hard–hit line drive off Goins’ bat for the out that ended the game. Hughen snagged the win. Goins recorded the loss.

Frye said his team (15–7, 9–0) tries to play a higher level of competition to keep sharp for the upcoming SCISA playoffs.

“We play teams like Brookland–Cayce, White Knoll, and Airport so someone can’t throw us something that we ain’t seen before,” Frye said.