Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Sarah Lehman can be effective in the circle with using just one or two of her pitches.

Union saw first-hand on Friday how dominant the Regina senior can be when she has her full repertoire working.

Lehman struck out 18 in a five-hit shutout as Class 2A seventh-ranked Regina knocked off Union 6-0 at the Clear Creek Amana Invitational at Pearl Field in Iowa City.

“Rise, curve it was all working,” Lehman said. “When they are all working that’s when I’m at my best.”

The 6-0 win over Union (15-7) capped a 2-0 day for Regina which used a walk-off two-run homer by sophomore Jess Hunter to down host Clear Creek Amana 6-4 in its opener.

Regina improved to 20-9 with the two wins on Friday and has won seven straight since a 3-0 loss to Class 5A top-ranked Waukee last Saturday.  

“I think we are putting it together,” Lehman said. “We are definitely playing really well and that’s kind of what we expect this time of year.”

Lehman has been a big part of the recent Regina surge.

The senior right-hander ran her scoreless inning streak to 27 straight, improved her season record to 9-5 and dropped her ERA to 1.38 with her fourth straight shutout on Friday.

“I feel like I’ve just gotten comfortable and I have confidence in my defense,” Lehman said. “When they are playing good defense I always pitch a little better.”

The 27-inning scoreless streak started with a 16-strikeout no-hitter of Cascade on Monday.

Lehman may have been ever better on Friday. 

She allowed five hits against Union but didn’t walk a batter and struck out a season-high 18, her fourth straight start with double digit Ks.

During her 27-inning scoreless streak Lehman has allowed nine hits and four walks while striking out 59.

“She was very good today and she threw this well against Cascade,” Regina coach Jon Prottsman said. “She has 60 some strikeouts in the last four games and we are trying to get her to finish her pitches. When she finishes her pitches she is even better.”

Regina gave Lehman an early lead against Union when Emma Corkery singled and scored on a throwing error in the first inning.

The Regals broke things open with four runs in the second on consecutive run-scoring hits by Corkery, Hunter and Lehman.

Freshman ninth place hitter Elly Gahan had an RBI double in the four-run second inning and tripled and scored in the sixth.

“We are trying to get everyone to see the ball better,” Prottsman said. “We are getting better and we got good contributions from a lot of people but I think we can hit it better.”
That was more than enough for Lehman who struck out at least two batters in every inning, fanning the side in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh.

“I felt good,” Lehman said. “The last couple of games I’ve felt good and my defense has made plays behind me.”

Hunter sent Regina into its second game with momentum after a walk-off two-run homer against Clear Creek Amana.

The sophomore center fielder hammered a 3-2 fastball over the right field fence for her first home run of the season to give Regina a 6-4 win.

“I hadn’t hit a home run this year and last year at this time I had three or four and I just wondered when it was coming,” Hunter said. “I was glad that it happened today.”

Regina rallied twice to tie the score before Hunter ended things in the seventh.

“I had a full count and she was throwing strikes and I was fouling them off,” Hunter said. “She threw a fastball and it was just a perfect pitch.”

Corkery had three hits and scored twice against Union and Hunter had two hits in each game on Friday as Regina pounded out a combined 23 hits in the two games.

“I think her big thing can be a lack of confidence in herself and that has gotten better because she has put the ball in play more often,” Prottsman said of Hunter. We try to talk her into relax, just hit the ball and don’t try to swing hard so it was really good for her to get that home run.”

Clear Creek Amana  030  010  0  –  4   9   1

Regina                        000  310  2  –  6  11  3

W – Katie Bracken     L – Raina Henze

2B – ICR: Katie Bracken. CCA: Ainsley Schrock

3B – CCA: Katie Pitlick

HR – ICR: Jess Hunter 

Union                          000  000  0  –  0   5   2

Regina                        140  001  x  –  6  12  0

W – Sarah Lehman     L – Peyton Parker

2B – ICR: Elly Gahan, Jess Hunter. UNI: Haylee Keune

3B – ICR: Elly Gahan, Sarah Lehman.