Softball team wins final 3 regular season games
Wins on three consecutive nights helped Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's softball team improve its final regular season record to 10-14, doubling their win total from a year ago.
The week could have started differently if H-M-S hadn't answered a challenge by visiting South O'Brien on June 27. The Hawks surrendered a three-run lead in the seventh inning but came up with a big hit in their last at-bat to emerge with the 5-4 win.
"It was a great game by both teams," Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad said. "We had some errors at the end that almost cost us the game but the girls fought hard."
Bailey VerHelst hit a bases-clearing double in the third inning to put H-M-S in front. The lead seemed safe as South O'Brien only had one scoring opportunity through six innings.
Having allowed the Wolverines to take the lead in the seventh, the Hawks regrouped. Cadence Klein singled, Kinsey Schirmer doubled and Gracie Knobloch walked for the fourth time to load the bases. VerHelst then delivered a two-run double to give H-M-S the win.
VerHelst was 2-for-4 with five runs batted in. Klein and Schirmer were also 2-for-4, and Frankie Mohni and Eliza Tewes were 1-for-3.
Knobloch earned the pitching win, giving up five hits, walking one and striking out 10.
"Gracie battled on the mound and our bats were on fire when we needed them," Bronstad said.
• vs. GT/RA
Having lost twice by a combined score of 23-1, it seemed unlikely that H-M-S could turn the tables on Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire during their third meeting. But the Hawks did just that, earning a 9-7 win on June 28 in Hartley.
GT/RA had the early momentum after taking a four-run lead in the first inning, but the Hawks answered with a two-run single by VerHelst and an RBI single by Knobloch to cut the deficit to 4-3. Schirmer hit a triple in the second inning to drive in a run and Knobloch singled in another to put H-M-S in front.
The Titans took their last lead with two runs in the third inning. H-M-S went back in front as VerHelst walked to force in a run, Abby Kunzman singled in another and Knobloch scored on an error.
GT/RA cut the lead to 8-7 in the fourth, but Alexis Grover's RBI single in the fifth gave H-M-S an insurance run.
"It's hard to come up against a team you have lost to twice, and just recently, and play as well as the girls did," Bronstad noted. "Gracie pitched well and the defense behind her helped. Our bats stayed consistent throughout the game and the girls took advantage of their pitching struggles."
Knobloch contributed three hits and two RBI; Klein and Schirmer each had two hits; and VerHelst finished with one hit and three RBI.
Knobloch's pitching line included 11 hits, seven runs, four walks and six strikeouts.
• vs. Trinity Christian
Twelve hits combined with solid pitching and defense propelled H-M-S to a 9-4 win over Trinity Christian on June 29.
Tewes and VerHelst were 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, Schirmer was 2-for-4, and Knobloch was 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Winning pitcher Kamryn Ebel scattered six hits over five innings and struck out six. Knobloch pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three.
"Kamryn and Gracie took care of business on the mound and the defense was on behind them," Bronstad noted. "The bats came alive and the girls kept up the intensity throughout the game."
Following a run by Trinity Christian in the third inning, H-M-S took the lead for good on a bases-loaded triple by Knobloch, a run-scoring double by VerHelst and an RBI single by Tewes. Tewes drove in another run with a single in the fourth and an error allowed the second run to score.
The Tigers' three runs in the fifth cut the margin to 7-4, but H-M-S scored a run on a single by VerHelst and another on an error to seal their third War Eagle Conference win.
The Hawks were scheduled to play Sibley-Ocheyedan in the first round of the Class 2A regional tournament on July 6. The winner advances to play either Western Christian or North Union on Friday at Swea City.