After giving up a triple to the lead-off batter in Tuesday
’s home opener against Homestead, Live Oak High sophomore
pitcher Kaitlyn Rauschnot settled down. Boy, did she ever.
After giving up a triple to the lead-off batter in Tuesday’s home opener against Homestead, Live Oak High sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Rauschnot settled down.
Boy, did she ever.
Rauschnot finished the first inning by striking out the next three batters, then blew away the Homestead lineup the rest of the way — allowing just two more hits and striking out 12 more en route to an impressive 3-0 shutout victory at Community Park.
The three-hit, 15-strikeout performance left Acorn coach Barry McDonnell spouting superlatives.
“That was a quality performance,” McDonnell said. “(Homestead wasn’t) the quality we’ll face in league but it’s still extremely impressive. She moved the ball around and did a good job.”
Rauschnot’s itching was especially welcome because the Acorns weren’t exactly taring the cover off the ball themselves.
Live Oak (2-1 overall) took a 1-0 lead without the benefit of a base hit in the bottom of the first inning. After leadoff batter Alyssa Adamo walked, Catalina Rauwers forced her at second, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Homestead threw Katie Hillman’s grounder to shortstop away.
Live Oak didn’t get its first hit until the fourth inning when catcher Justine McDonald legged out an infield single.
The Acorns added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Juliette Bowers smashed a one-out single and moved to third on Hillman’s dribbler on the infield.
McDonald followed with a bunt that the Homestead pitcher tried to throw home to nab Bowers, but the ball skittered away as Bowers sild home and Hillman came around to score the final run under the tag.
Live Oak was also scheduled to host Leland on Thursday.
The Acorns play in their own 32-team Annie Lynch Memorial tournament at Twin Creeks starting today.
Live Oak will begin Tri-County Athletic League play on Thursday at Hollister.
