GC softball drops trio of conference contests
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JUST OUT OF REACH — Toppers’ third baseman Jenna McCarthy made a diving attempt to catch this line-drive hit during a softball game in Elk Mound Friday, April 14. Glenwood City lost 6-1.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
After scoring a ten-run win over Elmwood-Plum City for its first conference victory in nearly two years, the Glenwood City softball team was hoping to build some momentum heading into last week’s action that featured games versus a trio of Dunn-St. Croix foes.
Unfortunately, the Hilltoppers had trouble generating offense as they lost all three contests. Glenwood City fell 12-1 in Mondovi last Tuesday, April 11, then lost 15-5 against Colfax in a game that was played in Durand on Thursday and finished the week with a 6-1 loss to the defending conference champion Mounders in Elk Mound the very next day, Friday, April 14.
These latest setbacks put the Toppers’ early-season record at 1-4 overall and 1-3 in league play.
With Monday’s game in Spring Valley postponed, the Toppers will host Boyceville this Thursday, go to Amery on Friday, play in the Shell Lake tournament on Saturday before returning home next Monday, April 24 to take on Colfax for the third time this season.
Mondovi
As the old saying goes, if you can’t hit the ball, you can’t score runs.
That pretty much summed up Glenwood City’s game in Mondovi last Tuesday, April 11.
The Lady Buffaloes (5-0, 7-1), one of the conference’s top teams this season, outhit the Toppers 12 to 2 en route to the 12-1 victory.
Glenwood City managed just a pair of Michaela Blaser singles off Mondovi ace Morghan Ashwell, who struck out a dozen Hilltoppers and allowed just the one run and a walk for the complete game victory.
Conversely, Glenwood City pitcher Maddie Klatt surrendered 12 runs on a dozen hits, walked a pair and struck out two to take the loss.
GLENWOOD CITY batter Sydney Grant made contact with this pitch during an April 14 D-SC softball game in Elk Mound. The Hilltoppers lost 6-1. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Mondovi scored a pair of runs in the first and third innings, added three more in the fourth before putting five across in the sixth.
Glenwood City’s only run came in the top of the fourth when Michaela Blaser led off with a single and scored.
Colfax
Glenwood City traveled to Durand last Thursday to play Colfax following the Vikings contest with the host Panthers.
Things looked promising for the Hilltoppers when they took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to singles by Sydney Grant and Madison Caress, who both scored, a Colfax error which allowed Jenna McCarthy to reach base and eventually score, and three walks.
But, the Vikings scored two runs in the bottom half of the first and four times in the second to go in front 6-3.
Glenwood City pulled to within a run in the third when it again took advantage of a string of walks issued by the Colfax pitchers to score a pair of runs.
Colfax, however, blew the game open in the fourth inning when it scored six times thanks to six hits including a triple and two doubles to pull ahead 12-5.
The Vikings, who finished with 15 hits, added three more runs in the fifth and final inning to make the final score 15-5.
Grant’s and Caress’s first-inning singles ended up being the Hilltoppers only hits in the game.
Maddie Klatt started in the circle and went four inning, giving up a dozen runs on 12 hits to take the loss. She had three strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Jenna McCarthy faced six batters in the final inning allowed three runs on the same number of hits with a walk.
Elk Mound
Elk Mound took advantage of some shaky pitching and walks by Glenwood City early in their Friday, April 14 D-SC game played on the Mounders’ field to grab a quick lead.
Despite just one hit, Elk Mound was able to score three runs in the opening inning when Glenwood City starting pitcher Maddie Klatt suffered some early control issues hitting one Mounder batter before walking three straight.
While Klatt eventually settled in, her Elk Mound counterpart, Hailey Meyer, was zeroed in from the start, allowing just one run on three hits while registering ten strikeouts and only two walks to earn her third straight win, a 6-1 triumph, in as many starts.
Elk Mound carried that early 3-0 lead into the sixth inning when Glenwood City scored its only run of the game when Libby Wagner drew a lead-off walk and came around to score to make it 3-1.
The Mounders responded with three runs in the bottom half of the sixth for the 6-1 advantage.
The Toppers tried to rally in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with two outs but Meyer was able to get the Toppers’ Libby Wagner to pop out to her for the game’s final out.
Glenwood City finished with three hits, a double off the bat of Michaela Blaser and singles by Sydney Grant and Brooklynn Brite.
Maddie Klatt suffered the pitching loss after giving up all six runs on seven hits in six inning of work. Klatt walked four early and finished with four strikeouts.