The junior pitcher had a seamless outing for much of Monmouth’s MVC showdown with Lisbon, even though her Mustangs trailed for much of the game.
When Monmouth took the lead and Lisbon threatened in the seventh, Canning had to dig a little deeper, but that wasn’t a problem either. With a runner on third and the tying run at the plate, Canning got the final two outs to preserve a 4-2 Mustangs win.
“My pitcher was immense,” Monmouth coach Dave Kaplan said. “That’s back-to-back games for her that she’s gone complete and thrown really well.”
Canning blanked Hall-Dale Saturday in a 6-0 win. She only allowed five hits total Monday, and after the Greyhounds had two hits in the third for a 1-0 lead, she allowed just two more until the seventh.
She made her start look effortless, striking out 11 and walking just one. It was rare that Lisbon threatened or got her off her game.
“It was really nice,” Canning said. “I just felt like I was practicing. It didn’t feel like there was a batter up to bat.”
When Monmouth took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Canning simply needed three outs in the seventh for the win, but it didn’t come so easily.
“I thought I had to start working a little harder and throw some different pitches,” Canning said. “The last batter was the winning run. So I just knew that I had to strike her out.”
After Kailyn Hill walked to lead off the inning, Molly Nicholson drilled a one-out triple to make it 4-2. Canning struck out the next batter and fielded a hard liner and relayed it to first for the final out.
“I have to give kudos to the Nicholson kid,” Kaplan said. “That was the best at-bat I’ve seen all year. She fought off four or five tough pitches and drove one into the gap. We threw a curve ball that was off the plate, and she fought that off really good.”
Hill pitched a masterful game for the Greyhounds (2-1). She allowed just five hits and struck out eight and walked four. She had a 1-0 lead for much of the game, but Lisbon couldn’t add to it.
“This is the first team that gave us a run for our money,” said Lisbon coach Terri Tlumac, whose team plays five games this week. “I’m glad it’s the third game of the season so we have plenty or room to improve.”
Caroline Bonenfant had two hits for Monmouth (3-2) and drove in two key runs in the sixth. Tia Day, Hannah Anderson and Shannon Buzzell had the other hits for the Mustangs.
Lisbon got a pair of hits and an RBI from Nicholson. Monica Austin also drove in a run with a hit. Taylor Plourde and Courtney Lawrence also had hits for the Greyhounds.
“We just didn’t get our bats around and didn’t get timely hits,” Tlumac said. “Also, defensively, we’re letting the ball drop and not being more aggressive out in the field. That turns into hits that could have been prevented.”
Lisbon took a 1-0 lead early when Austin singled in a run in the third. Those were the only two hits the Greyhounds got off Canning through the first four innings.
“There was a little pressure but not much,” Canning said of trying to hold the Lisbon lead at 1-0. “We just threw fastballs until we got two strikes. Then we threw the curve or different off-pitches.”
Monmouth had just one hit against Hill through the first three innings, but the Mustangs started putting pressure on in the fourth, loading the bases only to strand three.
“The kids are good at that second or third at-bat,” Kaplan said. “They’re starting to read the pitchers better. A fastball might get them in the first inning, but they come back and get stronger.”
Monmouth tied the game in the fifth when Sidney Wilson walked and eventually came around on a wild pitch.
Monmouth stranded eight runners and had all five of its hits in the last four innings. That increased the pressure on Hill and the Lisbon defense. In the sixth, the Mustangs broke the tie and opened the lead.
Buzzell led off with a single. Caleigh Copeland walked and Madi Neal was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wilson hit a grounder with the infield in. The throw home was low, allowing Buzzell to score the lead run. Hill got a pair of grounders that led to force outs at home, but Bonenfant padded the lead with a two-out single to left, scoring Wilson and Day.
“It turned out we needed that hit,” Kaplan said. “That was a clutch hit.”
Lisbon tried to rally and had the opportunity in the seventh. Nicholson’s triple was the only dent that the Greyounds could put into the lead.
“It’s just timely hitting, Tlumac said. “It’s unfortunate when the girls get themselves into scoring position and we can’t get that push and turn the momentum around.”
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