They came to play

After being shut out the first half of the game, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn scored 12 runs over the final three innings to roll past South O'Brien, 12-7, on May 31 at Paullina.

Early scoring possibilities for H-M-S came up empty while South O'Brien capitalized in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. But once the Hawks started scoring they could not be stopped.

"The girls came to play," Hawk coach Stephanie Bronstad said. "We had a few rocky moments, but the bats came alive."

Consecutive Wolverine errors set up the Hawks' four-run fifth inning. Kinsey Schirmer and Cadence Klein each doubled in a run and Gracie Knobloch drove in another with a sacrifice fly. Bailey VerHelst singled and scored on a wild pitch to put the Hawks in front, 4-3.

A pair of runs in the fifth put South O'Brien back in front, 5-4. H-M-S answered with a two-run single by Schirmer in the sixth. The Hawks broke the game open with six runs in the final inning. Delaney Murphy and Knobloch each singled in a run and VerHelst's double drove in another. Two runs scored on errors.

The Wolverines scored their final two runs in the seventh.

H-M-S finished with 15 hits. Schirmer was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, Knobloch was 3-of-5 with two RBI, and Klein and VerHelst were each 2-of-3 with an RBI. Abby Otto, Abby Kunzman, Eliza Tewes and Meghan Larson each had one hit.

Knobloch pitched the complete game. She allowed four hits, walked eight and struck out 14.

"Gracie pitched well and our defense took care of it in the field," Bronstad said.

• vs. Trinity Christian

A fast start offensively gave the Hawks all the runs they needed to defeat Trinity Christian, 7-4, on June 1 in Hull.

Seven of the Hawks' 10 hits came in the first three innings when they built a 6-0 lead. Although Trinity Christian managed to cut the deficit to two runs in the fifth, H-M-S was able to pull out their third straight win.

"The bats came out right away and then cooled off, but our pitching and defense won the game," Bronstad observed.

Kamryn Ebel earned the pitching win. She allowed seven hits and struck out 13.

"Kamryn pitched a great game, letting them hit and trusting the defense behind her," Bronstad said. "The girls battled and stayed positive."

H-M-S took a 5-0 lead in the second inning. Kinsey Schirmer drove in the first run with a single and Gracie Knobloch drove in two with another hit. Two runs scored on errors.

Bailey VerHelst singled and scored on Meghan Larson's single to add a run in the third. Knobloch doubled and scored on an error in the sixth, giving H-M-S an insurance run.

Knobloch led the offense with two doubles, two singles and two runs batted in.

Trinity Christian scored a run in the third, two in the fourth and once in the fifth. But after getting a lead-off single in the sixth, the Tigers were retired in order to end the game.

• vs. Gehlen Catholic

Gehlen Catholic brought an abrupt end to the Hawks' three-game winning streak with a 16-4 win on June 3 in Hartley.

The Jays built their lead with four runs in the first inning, three in the second, a run in the third, five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. They collected 11 hits and took advantage of 12 walks.

Unable to score despite loading the bases in the third inning, H-M-S scored four runs in the fourth. Eliza Tewes and Addison Sheeler singled and scored on a hit by Kinsey Schirmer. Gracie Knobloch hit a double to drive home Schirmer and later scored on an error.

Knobloch finished with three hits and Cadence Klein had two. Other Hawks with one hit each were Kamryn Ebel, Abby Kunzman and Bailey VerHelst.

Knobloch pitched the first inning, allowing seven runs and seven walks. Ebel finished the game, allowing nine hits and nine runs. She struck out three.

H-M-S (4-3, 2-1) is on the road to Unity Christian on June 10 (11:30 a.m. start), South O'Brien for a tournament on June 11 and Gehlen Catholic on June 15. They will host Remsen St. Mary's (1A No. 7) on June 13 and Emmetsburg on June 14.