East Oregonian
BOARDMAN — Through three games this season, Weston-McEwen softball has found its MVP.
In this case, it’s MVB.
Pitcher Molly von Borstel tossed a complete game shutout of host team Riverside at the Riverside/Irrigon tournament Tuesday. But she wasn’t done there. The sophomore also hit a triple in the first inning as the TigerScots (2-1) came out on top 10-0 to finish their tournament.
Weston-McEwen has played all of its games this season in the last two days after multiple early season rainouts.
Practice is great, but there’s nothing like the real thing and von Borstel said she felt her wicked left arm getting tired late against Riverside. She faced 34 batters on Monday in the tournament as well.
But the TigerScots aren’t a one-pitcher team. Freshman Taylor Entze has emerged as much more than a capable No. 2. She pitched the TigerScots’ early game against Willamina, a 9-1 victory in which she completely controlled the hitters.
Entze struck out eight batters and though she did allow a run, it came during a no-hit effort in the circle. The run came around after a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt after the TigerScots had already had the outcome in hand.
The no-hitter came a day after Entze struck out 10 of the 14 batters she saw against La Grande JV.
Coach Jeff Griggs said the best part about the pair of wins came on the defensive side, though. Errors, the product of early season rust perhaps, were whittled out of the equation.
“(Monday) we had seven between the two games and that’s conservative,” Griggs said. “(Tuesday) we’re going to have either two or three and that’s what we have to have, continuous improvement.”
Weston-McEwen scored six runs in the first inning, chasing the Willamina starter before she’d thrown a full inning. But a scary moment on the diamond occurred when the TigerScots were going for another run at home.
In the third inning, senior Morgan Entze got caught in a rundown between home and third and dove for the plate head first, colliding with the catcher’s shin guard. An injured Entze was removed from the game and taken for medical attention with a head and neck injury, leaving Shayne Rudolph and Taryn Coffman to try and fill her position at catcher.
Entze was seen returning to her team late in the second game, but did not play. Her status for the team’s next action will be re-evaluated later, Griggs said.