Close isn't enough against Westerners
H-M-S also loses big to Hinton, Unity Christian
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MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS
Abby Otto prepares to make the throw to third base in order to retire a Unity Christian runner in the game on June 10.
Akron-Westfield may have won the battle, but Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn put up quite a fight. Playing on June 6 at Akron, the Westerners (1A No. 13) needed three late runs to preserve a 5-1 victory in what Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad considered one of the better games H-M-S has played against the perennial War Eagle Conference champions.
A two-run single in the second inning gave Akron-Westfield the lead, but H-M-S cut the margin in half in the fourth. Following consecutive walks to Gracie Knobloch, Kinsey Schirmer and Bailey VerHelst, Eliza Tewes singled to drive in Knobloch. The Hawks could not score again in that inning, and had just three baserunners the rest of the game.
Meghan Larson led H-M-S with two hits.
"The bats didn't come when we needed them and we hit right to people," Bronstad noted. "They had a great outfield and we couldn't find the holes."
The Westerners scored a run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to seal the win. They finished with seven hits against Hawk pitcher Kamryn Ebel, who walked three and struck out six.
"Kamryn pitched a great game and let her defense help her," Bronstad said.
• vs. Hinton
Late runs helped Hinton seal a 12-0 win over H-M-S on June 8 in Hartley.
Hinton scored a run in the opening inning and added two runs in the fourth. The Blackhawks then struck for six runs in the fifth inning and closed out the game with three in the seventh.
Meanwhile, the Hawks were limited to five baserunners. Their only hit was a single by Kamryn Ebel in the sixth.
MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS
Gracie Knobloch takes the relay throw in an attempt to tag out a Unity Christian runner trying to steal second base.
"Hinton hit the ball well and we couldn't find the bats," Bronstad noted. "Defensively we played well. They found the holes and ran the bases well."
Gracie Knobloch was the losing pitcher. She allowed 12 hits, walked nine and struck out eight.
• vs. Unity Christian
Unity Christian needed just three innings to hand H-M-S a 12-0 loss on June 10 at Orange City.
The Knights broke out to a four-run lead in the first inning, added two runs in the second and doubled their run total with six runs in the third.
Kamryn Ebel pitched for H-M-S. She allowed 14 hits and 12 runs, walked three and struck out four.
The only Hawks to reach base were Abby Otto and Addison Sheeler, who both walked.
"The bats didn't show up," Bronstad noted. "Unity Christian hit well. Defensively it was not our best game."
The Hawks fell to 2-4 in War Eagle Conference play.
