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Lang helps Rocks end Moline’s streak

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By Andrew Petersen | Friday, May 09, 2008 | No comments posted

Absolutely, Kate Lang knew about the streak.

But she refused to be intimidated. Not on her 17th birthday.

Led by Lang’s thunderous bat, the Rock Island softball team ended nearly three years of Moline dominance in the Western Big Six — at least for Saturday.

The Rocks dropped the opener 7-2, but they come from behind to take the second game 5-3. The Game 2 win put an end to the Maroons’ 30-game conference winning streak.

“It feels so good,” Lang said. “Lately, I’ve been worried about too much (at the plate). I cleared my head and swung the bat.”

That swing resulted in a 3-for-5 day with two home runs and six RBIs. Not bad for someone who hadn’t gone deep since freshman year.

In the second game, Lang’s heroic moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Rocks down 3-1.

After Kristina Hagan reached base on a fielding error to lead off the inning, Ketty Klauer walked and Stacey Crosby singled to right field. Lang, who hit a solo shot in Game 1, then slugged a grand slam.

Moline (11-2, 3-1) loaded the bases in the seventh, but Ayla Serrano pitched Rock Island (8-8 overall, 3-1 WB6) out of the jam and into a tie at the top of the conference.

“What an accomplishment,” Rocks coach Steve Ebner said. “I told them before the game, ‘You got a chance to do something that nobody except you and your parents expect you to do.’ ”

Lang hardly was the only batter to clear the outfield fences on a relatively calm afternoon.

Meg Schroeder, who struck out seven Rocks in the opener, homered twice between the two games and collected three RBIs.

Moline led 3-0 in Game 1 before Lang and Ashley Roberts hit consecutive home runs in the fifth to pull Rock Island within a run. But Emily Hoague led off the sixth with a solo shot to extend the Maroons’ lead.

A sweep was on the horizon as Moline continued to collect hit after hit in Game 2, but it was Rock Island that made the most of its base runners. Moline outhit Rock Island 21-9 for the day, but the Maroons left 11 runners on base to the Rocks’ seven.

“It wasn’t our day,” Maroons coach Mark Gerlach said. “Now we have to sweep the rest of our Western Big Six games.”

Andrew Petersen can be contacted at (563) 383-2288 or apetersen@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qcvarsity.com.