Huron rallies past Norwalk in fifth

HURON — Even in losses, there are positives. Norwalk played well Tuesday against Huron in Sandusky Bay Conference crossover action. But inconsistencies at times cost the Truckers. The Tigers scored three runs in the fifth inning as Norwalk dropped to 0-2 with a 7-5 road loss. "We're working through and finding our rhythm," Truckers coach Julie Schmidt said. "We have a young team. Even though we have returners, they're young and still working through and trying to find what works. Especially early in the season, that's what these games are for." After going down in order in the first inning, Norwalk put up four runs in the top of the second inning. Scarlet Schneider led off with a double to the wall on the first pitch of the inning. She went to third on a wild pitch and scored later when Audryn Ott reached on an error. The Truckers then took advantage of some erratic pitching from Huron starter Madison Holeman. Ott stole second, then went to third, and scored on wild pitches. Caymen Mercer walked and came around to score after a couple of passed balls. Saige Viock singled and scored later thanks to the same Huron (1-0) mistakes. "That was a discussion we had from Saturday to today," Schmidt said. "We were happy with the improvement we saw in their plate approaches. We continued to hit the ball. We pretty much hit it right at them, and they made the plays. They earned their way to the win." But the Tigers were just as patient at the dish. Huron drew 10 walks on the day and took advantage of at least five wild pitches. The Tigers had just one hit on the day. Viock threw four innings of no-hit ball for Norwalk but walked six and allowed five runs. She did strike out seven, including five in a row at one point. "We're looking for improvement every day," Schmidt said. "This is an improvement from the last game. From Saturday to today, it's an improvement. We're looking to stack days of improving. Those erratic pitches, they're going to decline as she gains confidence and figures out how to make those in-game adjustments." Huron scored two runs in the first and two more in the third without the ball leaving the infield. Norwalk still led 5-4 in the fifth inning as Holeman settled in. The Tigers loaded the bases on the strength of three walks as Sophia Ames entered the game. Kaylee Albrycht's small bloop landed on the infield, scoring a run for Huron. After a strikeout, a ball hit by Reece Hotz wasn't caught in center, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Huron added another run on a wild pitch for a 7-5 lead. That was enough for Holeman. After a couple rocky innings, she retired 12 of the last 13 batters she faced. The only one to reach was on a throwing error by Holeman on a dribbler back to the circle. "Saige pitched a good game," Huron coach Jude Schmidt said. "This is our first game out here, and we didn't get many scrimmages in due to the weather. This was the first time seeing live pitching. It was very promising to see the patience we had." Viock led off the fourth inning with a double for the Truckers, but it was the last hit Norwalk registered on the day. "I am proud of them for sticking with it and keeping it a close game," Julie Schmidt said. "If we clean up a few things there in the middle innings, maybe it's a different outcome." The Truckers have faced stiff competition out of the gate in Monroeville and now Huron. The schedule doesn't get any easier with contests against Fremont St. Joseph and Elyria Catholic scheduled yet this week. "We typically have a competitive schedule in the beginning," Julie Schmidt said. "We're not scheduling easy games. It's a tough schedule, and we like it. It helps shape early successes. You can find successes in failure. That's what we focus on. "Softball is a game of resilience. It's a game of failure. How do we respond when we fail?" Norwalk 041 000 0 — 5 4 1 Huron 202 030 x — 7 1 1 WP: Holeman (1-0). LP: Ames (0-1). 2B: (N) Schneider, Viock, Mooney