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Hard-hitting Sun Prairie downs Craig softball team

JANESVILLE — Janesville Craig found Sun Prairie’s bats too hot to handle en route to an 11-6 loss in Big Eight Conference softball here Wednesday.

The Cardinals rapped out 17 hits off three Cougar pitchers. Craig coach Dan Bayreuther said the hits were no fluke.

“I asked my catcher if our pitchers were slowing down, and she said their pitches were on the corners and moving in and out,” Bayreuther said. “They were a good-hitting team today.’’

The visiting Cards scored four runs on four hits in the first inning and added five runs on five hits in the third, including Michaela Miller’s two-run homer for a 9-2 lead.

“They were not cheap hits,” Bayreuther said. “They were legit.’’

Craig bounced back with four runs in the sixth inning on four hits, including Brianne Gohlke’s RBI single and Abby Geiger’s three-run home run. Craig’s rally cut its deficit to 9-6.

Sun Prairie shook off Craig’s barrage and scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on five hits.

Craig (8-9, 6-8) hosts Madison East at 4 p.m. Friday.

SUN PRAIRIE 11, CRAIG 6

Sun Prairie 405 000 2—11 17 2

Janesville Craig 200 004 0—6 11 3

Hodgson, Rodenkirch (7) and Burns; Smith, Whittaker (4), Freeman (7) and Geiger, Cassady (4).

Leading hitters—Renz (SP), 2x4, Nickerson (SP) 2x3, Weber (SP), 4x4, Miller (SP) 3x4, Burns (SP) 2x4, Cassady (JC) 3x4, Geiger (JC) 2x4, Smith (JC) 2x4. 2B—Geiger (JC). 3B—Renz, Weber (SP). HR—Miller (SP), Geiger (JC).

SO—Hodgson (SP) 3, Smith (JC) 1, Whittaker (JC) 4, Freeman (JC) 1. BB—Hodgson 2, Smith 1.