Milan Softball Perseveres in Extra Innings for Win

Nena Doran stepped up to the plate in the eighth inning having a rough day.  Her error in the fifth led to Riverview’s lone run and she was 0-3 at the plate.  With Kat Hoffman standing on second, Doran ripped the first pitch to deep centerfield; scoring Hoffman and giving the Milan Big Reds (3-0) a 2-1 extra innings win on Thursday night.

“It’s good to be able to have people picking you up.  If you’re having an off day defensively, other people pick you up,” Doran said.

The game started with Hoffman dominating from the mound again.  After giving up a lead-off single to start the game, she bore down and stranded the runner on first.  She continued to overpower the Pirates until the fifth inning, when back-to-back errors and a long double plated the only run of Riverview’s day.  Hoffman ended the game with a complete game, allowing three hits and one unearned run while striking out six and walking none.

“[Hoffman’s] pretty tough.  She doesn’t want anybody getting a hit off her.  If they do, she’s coming back,” said head coach Stacey Heams.

Milan’s offense struck first in the second inning.  Cheyenne Brierley singled and Drey Garrett ripped a triple to bring her home.  The Big Red attack was mostly silent after that until Doran’s game-ending shot in the eighth.

“I’d rather start like this, plugging each game and working hard and if they’re close, they’re close, instead of doing what we did last year, when we started high and dropped.  At least we can make improvements from here, keep getting better each game,” said Heams.

Clinton comes to face Milan on April 21 for a double header.