Staff report

PORTLAND, Ore. — Rowan Little League’s plan to rest ace pitcher Campbell Schaen went smoothly on Sunday night, as Rowan used “staff” to overwhelm winless Canada 10-0 in a pool game shortened to four innings by the mercy rule.

Five Rowan pitchers combined to allow two hits and struck out three batters in a romp in the 12U softball World Series.

Carmen Freeze started the game in the circle for Rowan. She walked two batters but worked out of the jam.

Arabelle Shulenberger pitched the second inning and allowed two hits.

Lexie Ritchie pitched a 1-2-3 third inning. Lauren Vanderpool and Kassidy Sechler hurled a quiet fourth.

Rowan finished pool play 4-0 and is the No. 1 seed from “Pool B.” Louisiana finished second in the pool at 3-1.

Shulenberger led Rowan’s offense with three hits, while Schaen had two.

Schaen’s one-out single triggered a four-run first inning for Rowan. Two errors helped, and Rowan got RBIs from Cadence Lane, Shulenberger and Ritchie.

In the second inning, Rowan pushed its lead to 7-0. Singles by Schaen and Kynlee Dextraze and Freeze’s HBP loaded the bases with none out. Pinch-runner Kennedi Fisher tagged up and scored on a short sacrifice fly to the second baseman. Then Avrelle Harrell lined a two-run single to right field.

Ashley Yang doubled to left field to start a three-run third for Rowan. Emma Rae Cline walked before an error loaded the bases. Yang scored on a wild pitch, Lane got a run home with a groundout, and Shulenberger’s third single of the game plated Rowan’s 10th run.

Rowan didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

The quarterfinals start on Monday, and it’s a single-elimination tournament from here on out. Rowan is in the 4 p.m. game today on ESPN2 against Iowa, which went 2-2 in “Pool A,” including a 4-2 victory against Pennsylvania late Sunday night.

 

Canada   000 0    —   0   2   3

Rowan    433  x    — 10    8   0

W — Shulenberger. L — Amanda Konrad.

Leading hitters — Rowan: Shulenberger 3-for-3, 2 RBIs; Schaen 2-for-2; Yang 1-for-1; Harrell 1-for-1, 2 RBIs; Dextraze 1-for-2; Lane 2 RBIs, Sechler 2 RBIs; Freeze 3 runs.