BROWNSTOWN — Since taking over as the head coach, Hauser’s Craig Sims has eyed a season-opening win at Brownstown Central.
A victory six years in the making, Sims’ reigning state champion Jets topped the Braves in grand fashion — a 10-0, five-inning rout Tuesday.
Through the first two innings, neither team could generate much offense, as Hauser’s Tessa Sims threw three strikeouts and Brownstown fielded error-free.
In the third inning, the Jets’ bats caught fire, and the runs ensued.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, Hailey Lange reached on a fielder’s choice to the pitcher, and Ali Hoover scored. On that same play, Leslie Sims scored off an error at first base by the Braves to put Hauser up, 2-0.
The runs kept coming in for the Jets, as Sidney Giles singled to right field to score Tessa Sims. Giles then scored on a wild pitch, and a sacrifice bunt from Sydney Schoen scored another run.
A double play by the Braves closed the top of the third, but Hauser had a six-run lead.
“(The Braves’ Jami Bryant) was pitching away and we finally got up on the plate,” Craig Sims said of the scoring stretch. “We let that ball get deep enough to hit it. We were off the plate too much in the first two innings and were rolling over on it.”
In the fourth inning, Lange hit another RBI single to bump the score to 7-0.
Brownstown’s Beth Wayman got the lone hit for the Braves in the bottom of the fourth, but the team couldn’t capitalize.
The fifth inning saw the Jets’ Kali Schumacher hit an RBI bunt prior to an RBI single from Leslie Sims. An RBI double by Tessa Sims gave the Jets the 10-0 lead.
Brownstown didn’t get on base the rest of the way.
“It feels good to get this win,” Craig Sims said. “The girls have worked hard. We have some kids returning, and the young kids are working extremely hard. We did all the things to win the ballgame — by making every routine play and getting it done in the circle.”
Hauser finished with 13 hits and no errors to the Braves’ single hit and four errors.
Tessa Sims finished with eight strikeouts.
“She didn’t give in on any count,” Craig Sims said. “She didn’t get ahead as much as I would have liked her to, but it was a pretty good first performance for her to start the season. When she’s in command, she spins the ball well and keeps hitters off balance.”
