Softball: McKenzie Oslanzi hurls, hits Ottawa past Serena

OTTAWA – If this is how Ottawa pitcher McKenzie Oslanzi pitches when she’s just getting started, heaven help the rest of the Pirates’ opponents this spring.

On a cold and windy Tuesday in the second week of the season, Oslanzi looked in midseason form in the circle and at the plate, leading the Pirates to a 6-0 payback victory over the Serena Huskers at King Field.

The senior right-hander surrendered one hit – a single by RayElle Brennan, the first batter she faced – and struck out 13 Huskers while also slamming three hits, including a booming double in the third inning to drive in the only run she needed.

The Pirates (2-0) tacked on a big five-run fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run home run by senior Ryleigh Stehl, all with two outs, to avenge a 9-3 regular-season loss to Class 1A Serena last March 22.

“Today, going into this, I was a little nervous because they beat us last year,” Oslanzi said. “I just knew I had to hit my spots. … The first inning I was pretty rusty, but I just needed to warm up and get used to the weather. After that, I was spinning my pitches pretty well.

“For just the second game, it felt pretty good. I’m good for this season and ready to go.”

Oslanzi gave up only three hard-hit balls all day: the single to right field by Brennan in the first, a line drive to right by Paisley Twait for the second out of that inning and a bullet hit by Twait that Ottawa third baseman Maura Condon made a leaping stab on in the seventh.

In between, she struck out the side in the second, third and fifth innings and allowed only one more baserunner, Alexis Linder, who reached on an error with two out in the Serena second.

“Serena’s a good team, especially the top of their order,” Ottawa coach Adam Lewis said. “They can really hit, so it was good to see McKenzie on top of her game. She did a good job on opening day, but today I feel she looked a little more dialed in against some better hitters. Everything she was working that she was throwing, she had good velocity, was hitting spots better and just did a real nice job for the conditions today. It’s tough to make a ball move when you can’t feel your fingers.

“Our kids were a little more focused and remembered that you can’t take anything for granted, especially against a team as good as Serena.”

The Pirates started to get to Serena starter Maddie Glade in the third when Maura Condon singled and, one out later, the lefty-swinging Oslanzi pounded her two-bagger to the opposite field to drive in the game’s first run.

It might have been more if not for grabs by Twait and Linder of line drives smoked by Kendall Lowery and Brynne Sember.

But the “more” they missed out on came the next inning, starting with a one-out single by Peyton Bryson. With two down, Aubrey Sullivan and Condon both singled to add a run before Stehl pulled an inside pitch down the left field line and over the fence for a three-run homer.

Oslanzi followed with a single and scored on a double by Lowery for the final run.

Jenna Setchell came on to pitch the last two-thirds of the sixth for the Huskers, but there was no coming back against Oslanzi.

“[Oslanzi] is always a phenomenal pitcher in general, but tonight she was in her element,” Serena coach Kelly Baker said. “You could tell she was firing on all cylinders, and she did a great job of keeping us on our toes. In the beginning, we jumped on it, but then we kinda trailed off. I don’t know if it was her finding her groove or it was us just struggling. … Then like last year, that one big inning for them got us.

“I was happy with our outfield play and that Paisley hit the snot out of the ball tonight, just right at people, but for our first game, there are things to work on, but it wasn’t too bad.”