East Union takes third win over Bulldogs

AFTON – East Union took down Orient-Macksburg for the third time this season, ending the Bulldogs’ season with a 5-1 win in Class 1A Region 5 Monday.

The Eagles’ starting pitcher Mallory Raney was dominant in the game, allowing two hits. Raney used all four pitches around the zone to keep the Bulldog hitters off balance, focusing on the rise ball up in the zone.

Orient-Macksburg head coach Mike Cooley said he told the team throughout the game to lay off pitches that started at their chest.

Raney pitched in all three games against the Bulldogs this season, striking out six in the first game and four in the second. She threw all seven innings Monday, striking out nine while allowing one earned run.

East Union head coach Todd Verwers said Raney’s effectiveness comes from the ability to have movement on all of her pitches, even if she misses a spot.

Orient-Macksburg scored its lone run in the top of the fifth. Caitlyn Buckman singled to get on-base. Kasyn Shinn came in to pinch run and stole second base.

Kaela Eslinger was intentionally walked to put runners at second and third for Cortney Gross. She singled to bring in Shinn.

“Gross did get a nice hit down the line and we were able to score a run, but we just couldn’t put runs together,” Cooley said. “If you’re not going to score runs, you’re not going to win a ball game.”

The Bulldogs threatened again in the top of the seventh. Buckman got on from an error before the lineup flipped to Eslinger at the top. Eslinger entered the game leading Class 1A with seven home runs.

East Union intentionally walked Eslinger for the third time of the night. Verwers said he planned on staying away in her leadoff at-bat and planed on walking her if there was an open base.

“We get runners on-base and have an opportunity with our big bat up, and he’s smart enough to walk her every time,” Cooley said. “... He wasn’t going to take a chance on us getting that hit and getting some momentum going. That’s just smart softball”

Raney ended the inning with a flyout five pitches later, sealing a quarterfinal appearance against Southeast Warren Wednesday.

Eagles scratch runs

Monday’s third matchup between the Bulldogs and Eagles was the closest of the season. East Union outscored Orient-Macksburg 22-3 in the first two games.

Eslinger was effective in limiting a big inning that hurt Orient-Macksburg earlier in the season. East Union’s largest scoring inning came with two in the fourth inning, but scratched one run in the first, third and fifth innings.

Kaylin Lack led the bottom of the first off with a double before Kaitlyn Mitchell hit a single through the right side for an RBI. Again, in the third, Lack scored. An error put her on and two stolen bases moved her to third before she scored on a passed ball.

After struggling through the latter part of the season, Verwers said Jayden Welcher found her way back in the box after a few good days of batting practice.

She built on those good sessions, driving in Raney after she tripled. Welcher finished her day 2-for-2 with three RBIs.

East Union loaded the bases with one out in the fouth inning, but a good play in right field by Christa Cass and a baserunning mistake by the Eagles left the bases loaded.

Verwers said there were a few mistakes on the bases Monday, but Orient-Macksburg made a few tough plays as he sent runners.

With the bases still loaded, Noelle McKnight hit a blooper over second to give the Eagles their fourth run of the night. Eslinger stranded the bases loaded to end the inning.

Eslinger pitched six innings, striking out two and going 1-for-1 with three intentional walks at the plate in her final high school game.

Cooley said he has been with the Bulldogs’ four seniors – Hailey Johnson, Gross, Eslinger and Buckman – for five years, and it will be tough to see them leave the program after all they’ve done in their careers.

Orient-Macksburg’s season ends at 5-18 overall and 3-6 in the conference.

UP NEXT – East Union goes to Liberty Center to face Southeast Warren for the second time this season Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Verwers said the Warhawks are a good hitting team, but he feels good because Raney didn’t pitch in the first game.