Stevenson turning the corner
Spartans show amazing improvement
Stevenson turning the corner Spartans show amazing improvement Check out this story on HometownLife.com: https://www.hometownlife.com/story/sports/2016/04/17/stevenson-softball/83157670/
Ed Wright Published 1:14 p.m. ET April 17, 2016
A Stevenson base-runner steals second as John Glenn's Megan Buford secures the ball.(Photo: ED WRIGHT)
There is a positive vibe sweeping through the Livonia Stevenson softball program — and for good reason.
On Wednesday, the resurgent Spartans swept visiting South Lyon — 7-1 and 13-7 — to improve their record to 3-0.
Stevenson won just five games all of last season, so there is definitely a corner being turned.
"We have two words that we're trying to live by this season — 'Believe' and 'Trust'," said first-year head coach Kevin Hannigan. "We're telling the girls to believe in one another and trust one another, and good things will happen.
"It's truly been a team effort so far. Wednesday's sweep was huge because South Lyon has swept us the past couple of seasons."
Sophomore Sarah Mesack was phenomenal in the circle for Stevenson the first game, tossing a complete-game four-hitter. Mesack struck out six Lions.
The Spartans jumped on South Lyon early, capitalizing on a flurry of fielding miscues to seize a 2-0 lead in the first.
Everybody was on their toes as Mackenzie Huren delivered a pitch Friday afternoon against Stevenson. (Photo: ED WRIGHT)
"South Lyon was 4-0 coming into the game, so I think our girls were a little nervous at first," said Hannigan. "But scoring the early runs settled everyone down.
Stevenson chiseled away at its lead the rest of the game, never scoring more than two runs in an inning.
Cori Wilson continued her torrid hitting by going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Natalie Bradford and Megan Gronau stroked RBI doubles to help pad the winners' cushion.
Elizabet McCann overcame some first-inning rustiness to chalk up a complete-game victory on the mound in the nightcap.
"It was Elizabet's first start of the season and she didn't have her best stuff in the first inning," Hannigan said. "But she really got it together after giving up five runs in the first and she only allowed three or four hits the rest of the game. She really impressed us by the way she worked through it early."
Stevenson left-fielder Abigail Zwicker rebounded with a vengeance in the second game, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and three stolen bases. The speedy Zwicker missed hitting for a cycle by a home run.
Catcher Alyssa Zahra also swung a hot bat, going 3-for-5 with two runs. She also swiped three bases.
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