It all came together
H-M-S earns back-to-back softball wins
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MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS
While Delaney Murphy exhibits her abilities with the bat at the plate, Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad (background) displays her own hitting form.
It isn't often that a softball team can be out-hit and still win by seven runs. But that was the scenario in Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's 9-2 victory over George-Little Rock.
G-LR had a 5-4 edge in hits during the June 21 contest in Hartley, but H-M-S took advantage of seven walks, two hit batters and errors to end a four-game losing streak.
"I wanted the bats to turn on a little more, but overall I'm happy with the win," said Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad.
Gracie Knobloch's lead-off triple in the second inning was followed by run-scoring singles by Kinsey Schirmer and Bailey VerHelst. Delaney Murphy later scored on a wild pitch to give H-M-S a four-run lead.
Both teams scored twice in the next inning. For H-M-S, pitches and passed balls allowed Schirmer and Morgan Grooters, who was running for VerHelst, to score.
After H-M-S loaded the bases in the fifth, Abby Kunzman walked to force a runner home and an error allowed two more runs to score.
Knobloch finished with two hits while Schirmer and VerHelst each had one.
Knobloch "pitched a good game," allowing five hits and one walk while striking out 10.
• vs. Harris-Lake Park
A big second inning propelled H-M-S to a 17-5 win on June 22 at Lake Park.
The Wolves' offense started the scoring with four hits in the first inning which led to four runs. But they were limited to one run and two hits over the next four innings, giving Gracie Knobloch the pitching win. She recorded seven strikeouts.
H-M-S scored its initial run in the first inning when Cadence Klein reached base on an error and later went home on a wild pitch.
The Hawks got their offense rolling in the next inning, pounding out six hits to score nine runs. Key hits were a two-run double by Knobloch and run-scoring singles by Alexis Grover, Abby Otto and Kinsey Schirmer.
Schirmer's single drove in a run in the third inning and the Hawks added three runs in the fourth on singles by Otto and Bailey VerHelst, along with a steal of home by Knobloch.
Eliza Tewes doubled home H-M-S's first run in the fifth, Klein singled in the next run and the final run scored on ground ball by Otto that was misplayed.
"The girls continued to play well. Defense, pitching and hitting all came together," Bronstad noted. "I was very happy with the game."
Overall, H-M-S finished with 16 hits. Otto was 4-for-5 with three runs batted in; Tewes was 3-for-4; Schirmer was 2-for-4 with two RBI; and Knobloch was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Others with hits were Abby Kunzman, Frankie Mohni, Grover, Klein and VerHelst.
• vs. MMCRU
MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS
Courtesy runner Morgan Grooters takes her lead off third base. She scored twice during the Hawks' win over G-LR.
Runs were at a premium when H-M-S took on MMCRU on June 24 at Cleghorn. In the end, the hosts scored a run in the ninth inning to claim the 2-1 win.
The Hawks had nearly twice as many hits as MMCRU (13-7), but could only score a run in the fifth when Gracie Knobloch doubled and scored on a single by Bailey VerHelst. H-M-S stranded 12 runners in the game.
"The girls hit the ball and played some good defense," Bronstad said. "We left some runners on that I wish we could have moved around, but overall I'm very happy."
At the plate, Abby Otto and Knobloch each had three hits while Abby Kunzman and Eliza Tewes each had two.
MMCRU scored a run in the second inning and won the game with a run in the ninth.
Knobloch walked one and struck out two while pitching "a strong game."
H-M-S fell to 2-7 in War Eagle Conference games.
