RedTail Softball Opens Conference Play with a Win
The RedTail Softball Team opened up conference play on March 19th against Ellsworth Community College. The RedTails split, losing game one 2-1 and winning game two 11-5.
Game One: 2 (ECC), 1 (HCC)
Ellsworth struck first in game one, scoring one run on a single, sacrifice bunt, and fielders choice. The game remained quiet until the fifth inning, when Ellsworth scored their second run of the game. They did so on a walk, single, hit by pitch, and sacrifice fly.
Down 2-0 going into the seventh inning, the RedTails put some pressure on the Panthers. Ellie Lorenz doubled to start the inning. Rylie Devlin came in to pinch run and advanced to third on a passed ball. She then scored on a ball in play by Jordan Trueblood.
The RedTails were then shut down by the Ellsworth defense, ending the game 2-1 in favor of the Panthers.
Lorenz led at the plate, going 1-3 with a double. Jordan Eads added a single herself. Mya Chamberlin took the loss on the mound, going six innings, giving up just five hits, two runs, one earned, two walks, and five strikeouts.
Game Two: 11 (HCC), 5 (ECC)
Ellsworth jumped out on top early in the game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. The Panthers put runners on with a hit by pitch and walk, but were thrown out by Hailey Harbour on a single to the outfield. A double and single scored two runs in the inning.
Hawkeye put one run on the board in the second. Lucy Lebo started with a double and scored on a Chamberlin single.
Ellsworth put up two more runs, getting on base from a RedTail error and scoring on a single. Another walk and single put the score 4-1 in favor of the Panthers.
In the top of the third, bats came alive for the RedTails. Isabelle Kriegel and Lorenz walked and bases were loaded on an Alyvia Anderson single. Harbour forced an error to score Kriegel, and Lebo forced an error to score Lorenz. Harbour scored on a wild pitch. Emilee Bergmann loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch, and a single from Mackenzie Bridgewater scored two more runs, giving the RedTails a 6-4 lead. Kriegel reached base for the second time in the third inning when she got hit by a pitch, and Lorenz singled to score two more runners, giving the RedTails an 8-4 lead.
In the fourth inning, Anderson started the inning with a single, advanced to second on a Harbour walk. Both runners moved up on a passed ball, and Eads hit a sacrifice fly to score one. Lebo and Chamberlin hit singles to cross one more run, allowing the RedTails to go up 10-4.
Ellsworth got one run back in the fifth, scoring on a single, RedTail error, and a wild pitch.
The scoring wasn't done for Hawkeye in the top of the seventh, they crossed one more run for insurance. Bergmann singled, advanced to second when Kriegel put the ball in play, and an Anderson single scored Bergmann.
Hawkeye shut down the Panther offense in the seventh, giving them the 11-5 victory.
At the plate, Anderson led the way going 3-3 with one run scored, one run batted in, and two walks. Chamberlin added two hits and two runs batted in. On the mound, Adelyn Sienknecht go the win, going 5.1 innings, giving up six hits, one run, zero earned, and three strikeouts. Lillian McCarty pitched 1.2 innings, giving up five hits, four runs, two earned, and two strikeouts.
The RedTails open up at home this Saturday, March 21st against Iowa Lakes Community College. Game time is set for 1:00 and 3:00 PM in Hudson, Iowa.