Dogs keep rolling

COLDWATER - Monday's softball game between Celina and Coldwater came down to getting runners home after they reached base.

Celina could. Coldwater couldn't.

Taylor Turner's three-run home run in the second helped spark the Bulldogs on offense and Maddy Luebke kept the Cavalier offense from scoring much in an 8-1 Celina win at Lady Cav Diamond.

Each team tallied 10 hits. The big difference came in runners left on base. Celina stranded only four in the game while Coldwater left 12 on, including leaving the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh innings.

"We hit the ball well and got people in scoring position, but didn't execute," Coldwater coach Katie Berno said.

After two scoreless innings, Celina (10-4) broke through against Coldwater starting pitcher Maddie Steinke. Emily Keith reached third base on a one-out dropped fly ball in left. Maddie Kuehne then drove in Keith for the first run of the game. Luebke followed with a deep fly to center that looked to be a cinch to catch but was dropped, putting two on for Taylor Turner, who took a 2-1 offering over the left field fence to make it 4-0.

"Taylor was on today. She's gradually getting to the point where she's back in her groove," Celina coach Nicole Driggs said of Turner.

"We definitely beat ourselves tonight," Berno said of the errors. "We didn't make the plays when they were handed to us. When that happens, you will lose ballgames."

Celina added on with a run in the fifth on Turner's RBI single that scored Kuenne. The Bulldogs closed out the scoring with three runs in the sixth. Luebke drove in two with a single.

"It seems we (put up runs) slowly today," Driggs said. "It didn't seem like we got on a roll, but we did. We got the girls across the plate. We did the job today for the victory."

Meanwhile, Luebke was getting plenty of help from her defense to keep the Cavaliers from plating runs until Maddie Sheffer scored on an error in the fifth to break up the shutout.

"It was nice to see her go seven innings," Driggs said of Luebke, who struck out three and walked four. "It's been a while since we've had her starting. She did well in throwing a lot of different pitches over the (strike) zone."

Turner finished her day 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Kuehne, Luebke and Harlee Harris added two hits each for Celina.

Grace Stammen and Kate Leichty had two hits each for Coldwater (5-9).

Both teams are in action today. Celina hosts Defiance in a key WBL matchup. Defiance lost to Bath 8-5 on Monday to leave Celina the sole leader in league play. Coldwater travels to Lima to face Lima Central Catholic.