FARGO - It may not have been softball weather on Thursday, but that didn't stop West Fargo and Fargo North from playing a doubleheader at Anderson Fields.
The Packers swept the Spartans 13-0 and 21-12 in Eastern Dakota Conference play.
More than half of the season has been wiped away because of poor weather, so a little cold and wind wasn't enough to push back this meeting of conference foes.
"It was definitely good to get outside," West Fargo senior pitcher Brittany Rheault said. "The inside practices were good for repetition, but it is nothing like being outside."
Rheault was hot inside the circle for the Packers
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(7-2, 4-0 EDC), striking out 17 batters in eight innings pitched in the doubleheader.
She fanned nine batters and only gave up one hit during a five-inning, complete-game shutout in the first game.
"The first game we came out and we were hitting our spots pitching," West Fargo head coach Pat Johnson said. "Everything was clicking. We came out ready to play and you like to see that."
Jolene Woodbury and Lexi Lennon each hit home runs in the first game to pace the Packers. Woodbury's home run was a three-run shot to center field.
North jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second game when junior infielder Keely Spiess hit a two-run double in the first inning.
West Fargo answered, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first and by the end of the second inning the Packers held a 9-2 lead.
The Spartans (1-5, 0-2) scored four runs in the third inning and got to within one run of the Packers in the fourth. Eighth-grade infielder Sami Trana lined out to Woodbury, who was West Fargo's starting pitcher in the second game, to end the fourth with the tying run at third base.
The Packers scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth, and North never got closer than two runs the rest of the game.
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"The first game wasn't our game," North outfielder and North Dakota State softball signee Courtney Johnson said. "It was the first conference game of the year and it was super cold out, but the second game was a great confidence booster that we can stick with good teams."
Johnson connected for North's lone hit in the first game and was 3-for-4 in the second game with two RBIs.
Rheault relieved Woodbury in the fifth inning of the second game and recorded eight strikeouts in three innings.
"It's a good way to start out our season," Rheault said. "We had to make some adjustments, but I think that is a sign of us improving."
FN 000 00 - 0 1 6
WF 067 0x - 13 9 0
Fisher and Mellick. Rheault and Liebl. W-Rheault. L-Fisher. HR-Woodbury, Lennon.
FN 204 240 0 - 12 14 8
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WF 540 525 x - 21 13 0
DeLeon and Mellick. Woodbury, Rheault (5) and Liebl. W-Woodbury. L-Deleon. HR-Johnson, Nelson.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Tom Mix at (701) 241-5562
