Squad goes 2-2 with wins over HL/O and Adrian, losses to Nicollet and St. James
The Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey (MLA-C) Wolverine Girls Softball squad had a busy six days, playing four games over that time span, finishing that run 2-2. They closed out last week with a win on the road over Adrian on Thursday, May 4, followed by a home loss on Friday, May 5 to St. James; and opened up this week dropping a Monday, May 8 game at Nicollet, then storming back to take Heron Lake-Okabena (HL-O) at home today (Tuesday, May 9).
Following are sports shorts recaps of the games:
MLA-C 10, HL-O 3
In today’s (Tuesday, May 9) game against Red Rock Conference foe Heron Lake-Okabena (HL-O), Rylie Tollefson drove in five runs on three hits, and Molly Carnell pitched a complete game, recording four strike-outs, along with 19 first-pitch strikes. Jordan Boldt added two hits – and three runs-batted-in (RBIs) – in the Wolverines’ seven-run romp. Tollefson and Margo Stoesz each had three Quality At Bats (QABs) at the plate. QABs are at bats in which the batter is productive in a way that fits the situation, whether that involves advancing the runner with a sacrifice bunt or even a ground ball out, getting on base, or making the pitcher throw a lot of pitches. Thus, a quality at bat is not measured simply by the standard batting statistics such as batting average, on-base percentage, or slugging, but by stats that show productivity regardless of result.
The Wolverines marked four-run innings in the third and sixth, accumulating a team total 10 hits.
Nicollet 8, MLA-C 7
It was a close one at Nicollet on Monday, May 8, but the Wolverines were bested by the home team by one run.
The contest opened fast-and-furious with MLA-C coming out with seven runs in the top half of the first inning. The Raiders responded with six runs in their bottom half.
However, Wolverine bats were silent the rest of the game, the Raiders scoring once in both the second and fourth innings.
Carnell pitched the four innings, garnering a pair of strike-outs, backed by 17 first-pitch strikes. Boldt had a pair of hits and knocked in two RBIs. Hailey Pidde also notched a hot. Carnell had three QABs, with Destiny Sybounheuan at the plate for two.
St. James Area 13, MLA-C 0
St. James Area grabbed the lead early with a four-run inning, and then added two in the second, five in the third and two in the fourth while holding the Wolverines runless in a Friday, May 5 non-conference tilt.
Boldt and Carnell combined pitching duties, Boldt huring the first three and Carnell relieving for the final couple of innings. Each Wolverine also pitched four strike-outs. Carnell delivered 13 first-pitch strikes, while Boldt recorded eight.
MLA-C 12, Adrian Area 2
In a game at Ellwsorth against Adrian Area on Thursday, May 4, had three big innings to tally the conference win, while the defense held the Dragon offense in check.
MLA-C scored three in the third, four in the fifth and three in the sixth to mark the 10-run victory.
Carnell hurled all seven, with five stirke-outs and 22 first-pitch strikes. On the game, she had an “Oh, wow!” WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched, which shows how many base runners the pitcher has allowed on base per inning) of 0.57.
The bats were also out for the Wolverines. Stoesz and Tollefson each had three hits, and Pidde had a pair. Tollefson knocked in four RBIs, added to by two from Carnell and one from Lexia Peters. The offense was evident with three players tallying QABs, Pidde with five, Taylor Naas with four and Carnell, three. Batters were also patient at bat, Meredith Suess taking first base three times and Carnell and Cassidy Gode, twice.
Next on the schedule is a home Red Rock game against Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove on Thursday, May 11.
The team’s head coach is Brian Hopwood, with Shawn Naas as assistant coach.
The team roster is as follows:
- #1 – Destiny Sybounheuan, OF, bats right, throw right.
- #2 – Taylor Naas, IF, bats left, throws right.
- #8 – Jaelin Renquist, OF, IF, bats right throws, right.
- #9 – Meredith Suess, OF, bats right, throws right.
- #10 – Lexia Peters, OF, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #11 – Margo Stoesz, C, OF, bats right, throws right.
- #12 – Jaden Hoek, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #13 – Hailey Pidde, C, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #14 – Kaylee Nickel, IF, bats right, throws right
- #15 – Kalley Rempel, OF, bats right, throws right..
- #16 – Cassidy Gode, P, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #17 – Jordan Boldt, P, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #19 – Natalie Goblirsch – 1B, bats right, throws right.
- #20 – Lexi Toll, OF, bats right, throws right.
- #21 – Amber Eischen, 3B, OF, bats right, throws right.
- #22 – Rylie Tollefson – P, IF, bats left, throws right.
- #23 – Saige Wall – IF, bats right, throws right.
- #26 – Molly Carnell – P, IF, bats right, throws right.
- #30 – Samantha Stahl, OF, IF, bats right, throws right.
