Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Softball team drops three straight conference games
Eliza Tewes stretches to make the catch and record the out against Unity Christian on June 11.
Right fielder Abby Kunzman returns the ball to the infield during H-M-S's loss to Unity Christian.
Competition in the War Eagle Conference heated up last week, and Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn's softball team found the going tough. The Hawks lost all three games and extended their conference losing streak to four.
A pair of big innings propelled Akron-Westfield to a 12-2 win over H-M-S on June 7 in Hartley.
The Westerners (No. 8 Class 1A) scored on an error in the first inning; pounded out six hits and scored six runs in the second; and tacked on five runs in the fourth on three hits.
Taya Mason was the losing pitcher, giving up 10 hits and four walks while striking out two. Gracie Knobloch pitched one inning and gave up one hit.
Jessica Riedemann and Cadence Klein hit consecutive two-out singles in the third inning and scored on singles by Knobloch and Darby Mastbergen.
Mason's single in the fourth inning was the only other hit for H-M-S.
• vs. Hinton
Unable to string hits together, the Hawks were shut out at Hinton, 5-0, on June 9.
Singles by Jessica Riedemann in the first inning, Eliza Tewes in the fifth and Darby Mastbergen in the seventh were the only hits for H-M-S. Hinton pitcher Jaydn Case recorded 13 strikeouts.
"The girls were aggressive in the [batter's] box. We just didn't find the holes," said Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad.
Hinton scored a run in the second inning, another in the third and added the final three runs in the fifth.
Hawk pitcher Gracie Knobloch allowed six hits, walked four and struck out three.
• vs. Unity Christian
Unity Christian scored early and often in a 13-0 win over H-M-S on June 11 in Hartley.
The Knights took a 5-0 lead in the first inning and added eight runs in the second. They only had six hits, but were aided by seven walks, four hit batters and three Hawk errors.
Taya Mason was the starting pitcher and allowed nine runs. Gracie Knobloch gave up five hits and four runs.
Darby Mastbergen's triple in the first inning was the only hit for H-M-S.
H-M-S (1-9, 1-4) hosts West Sioux on June 18, takes on West Bend-Mallard in a varsity only contest at 5:30 p.m. June 22 at West Bend, and hosts Harris-Lake Park on June 23.
