A couple of wins for GHV girls

(Above) GHV’s Maddie Graham had an excellent night on the mound for the Cardinals against North Butler, but GHV just couldn’t muster a win.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

by Michelle Watson

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura girls posted one of their biggest highlights of the season when they knocked off number nine Bishop Garrigan.  The win moved the Cardinals’ record to 8-16.

North Butler 6, GHV 0

The Cardinals were outdone at the plate in a 6-0 shut-out against North Butler on Monday, June 24.

“We had our chances multiple times, but we once again couldn’t come up with the timely hit,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.  “We have to get back to the fundamentals at the plate and figure out a way to get a few runs across.”

GHV could only muster one hit in the contest, compared to 10 by North Butler.  Trinity Smith accounted for the only hit when she beat an infield single.

Maddie Graham pitched all seven innings and took the loss on the mound.  She struck out four batters and walked four.

“Maddie did an excellent job on the mound.  She got us out of a couple bases loaded jams, which is huge, but our bats couldn’t follow that success,” said Murphy.

GHV 8, C-G-D 7

An end of the game surge by the Cardinals led to a close victory against Clarion-Goldfield-Dows on Tuesday, June 25.

“This was a game that we felt the highest of highs, as well as the lowest of lows,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.  “I am very proud of the fight the girls showed.  I asked them going into the bottom innings to put the pressure on them for once, and the girls answered and did just that.”

C-G-D owned the first half of the game, scoring a run in each of the first and second innings and four in the fourth inning, before the Cardinals started making their move.

In the bottom of the fifth, Emily VanDusseldorp was the first to score on a ground ball by Sadie Oulman, 6-1.  Oulman proceeded around the bases to third on errors.  She made it home on a single by Jayden Hughes, 6-2.

C-G-D scored one more in the top of the sixth, before GHV exploded.  A double line-drive by VanDusseldorp brought in Alexis Wilkinson and Morgan Krein, 7-4.  Jayden Hughes smacked another double that plated VanDusseldorp.  The Cards pulled to within one run when Hughes scored on a single by Trinity Smith, 7-6.

The score was still 7-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh and GHV knew they had work to do.  With two outs, Oulman singled on a line drive to center scoring Kaitlyn Robinson and advancing VanDusseldorp to second.  Hughes was next to the plate.  She smacked a walk-off single on a line drive to center field and VanDusseldorp was able to score to end the game with an 8-7 victory.

Kylie Hughes earned the victory on

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the rubber.  She pitched two and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on three hits, striking out one and walking one.  Maddie Graham got the start.  She pitched four innings, giving up eight hits and six runs, while striking out five and walking three.

The Cardinals had 12 hits in the game, including doubles by Jayden Hughes, Megan Oetken and VanDusseldorp.  Hughes and VanDusseldorp both had three hits apiece.  Jayden Hughes led the team in RBIs with three, while VanDusseldorp plated two.

“We like to put ourselves in sticky situations for some reason,” said Murphy.  “We are often getting behind by multiple runs, which puts the pressure on us.  We need to find a way to compete from the get-go.”

North Union 6, GHV 3

The Cardinals battled hard, but just couldn’t finish it in the end, as they fell 6-3 to North Union on the road  Wednesday, June 26.

The Warriors got on the board first with a run in the first inning.  GHV didn’t get rolling until the top of the third.  Megan Oetken was walked with bases loaded, allowing Trinity Smith to score.  With bases still loaded, Jailyn Krein hit a sacrifice fly to left field bringing Nicole Upmeyer in, 2-1.

North Union was slow but steady and got the job done, scoring two runs in the fourth and one in each of the fifth and sixth innings.  The Cardinals managed one more run in the sixth inning when Kaitlyn Robinson reached base on a dropped third strike allowing Alexis Wilkinson to score.

North Union was strong at the plate, collecting 13 hits.  GHV only managed three.  Smith, Upmeyer and Emily VanDusseldorp were the only ones to get hits.

“We’re being patient at the plate, which is a positive, but there’s a fine line between being patient and just looking for walks.  We had way too many strikeouts,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.

Maddie Graham took the loss for the Cards.  She allowed nine hits and four runs over four innings, striking out one and walking one.  Kylie Hughes also saw time on the mound.  She gave up four hits and two runs.

GHV 7, Bishop Garrigan 3

GHV had a stellar night on Friday, June 28, when they dropped number nine ranked Bishop Garrigan, 7-3.

“We talked about the game beforehand and we relayed to the girls that there should be no pressure.  We had nothing to lose in that game.  They came out and played relaxed, made plays and hit the ball. I couldn’t have asked for a better senior night for our five seniors,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.

The Cardinals got the scoring rolling early with three runs in the first inning.  Nicole Upmeyer hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Jayden Hughes to score.  Jailyn Krien’s single line drive plated Trinity Smith and Alexis Wilkinson, 3-0.

GHV took a 5-0 lead after scoring two runs in the third inning. One run was scored by Kaitlyn Robinson on a single by Emily VanDusseldorp.  VanDusseldorp scored on a hit by Hughes.

Bishop Garrigan scored runs in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.  The Cardinals posted two more runs in the sixth inning, one on a double by Smith and the final run on a sacrifice fly by Maddie Graham.

Graham was credited with the victory.  She pitched all seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out five.

The Cardinals racked up nine hits.  Smith led the team with three hits in four at-bats.  Megan Oetken and Krein had two hits apiece.  Krien led the team with two RBIs.  Both Oetken and Smith had doubles.

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