Break-through week for CL girls

(Above) Clear Lake’s Sara Faber makes a play in the outfield. -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Clear Lake girls had a break-through week, picking up three victories in six outings, including one over the second rated team in Class 1A.  The Lionsare now 6-6 overall and 3-3 in the North Central Conference.

CL 13, Webster City 6

The Lions were trailing 6-1 after four innings on the road at Webster City Monday, June 4, but managed to rattle off 12 runs in the fifth for a lopsided 13-6 victory.

“We were hitting the ball hard early, but they were not falling.  I knew our bats would get going, but thought a couple runs an inning.  Instead the girls decided to score 12 runs in one inning!” said Coach Austin Peterson.

The Lions used 14 hits to score their runs, led by Julia Merfeld, who was four-for-five at the plate with an RBI.  Sara Faber, Chloe Mueller, Mallory Leisure and Taylor Krull had two hits apiece, with Faber, Mueller and Leisure each stroking a double.  Rachel Barillas had just one hit, but it was a double which scored three runs.  Faber and Mueller each finished with two RBIs.

Rachel Thornton got the win on the mound.  She gave up 10 hits over seven innings.  She walked one and struck out one.

CL 5, Central Springs 4

The Lions earned one of their biggest victories in years Tuesday, with a nail-biting 5-4 defeat of Central Springs.  The Panthers were ranked number two in Class 1A at the time.

“Central Springs is a great program, and I felt like this was just a well played game by both teams.  Both teams made plays.  We were just able to have a big inning at the plate and we made some adjustments to defensively,” said Coach Austin Peterson.

Central Springs opened the game with two runs in the first and the Lions were able to answer in the bottom half of the frame with one run.  Each team added a run in the second before the Lions broke away in the fourth with four runs.

Webster City tried to rally,

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but was only able to add a single run in the fifth and the Lions held on for the 5-4 win.

Clear Lake tallied 11 hits in the game.  Julia Merfeld was the only Lion to have multiple hits.  She reached base twice in three appearance at the plate.  Sara Faber, Chloe Mueller, Kaylee Nosbisch and Kayla Ritter provided Clear Lake’s other hits.  Ritter, who had a double, was credited with three RBIs.

Rachel Thornton was the winning pitcher.  She went the distance and gave up four runs on 11 hits and six walks.

St. Ed’s 11, CL 4

The Lions got off to a 3-0 start on the road at St. Ed’s Wednesday, but couldn’t hold off the Gaels down the stretch and dropped an NCC contest, 11-4.

“We just couldn’t seem to find the one hit to bust it open and for momentum to stay on our side,” said Coach Peterson.  “We had bases load twice with no outs and couldn’t get a run in, and St. Eds was just hitting the ball where we were not at.”

The Lions plated three runs in the second inning, but found themselves trailing 5-3 after three innings.  One more run in the fourth was all the Lions could muster, while St. Ed’s tacked on four in the fifth and two more runs in the sixth.

  Lead-off hitter Julia Merfeld continues to swing a hot bat for the Lions.  The sophomore was two-for-four, as was Macy Mixdorf and Kayla Ritter.  Freshman Chelsey Holck was two-for-three batting with a double.  Ritter also had a double.  Sara Faber had just one hit in the game, but it was a good one.  Her triple brought in a run.

Rachel Thornton took the loss for the Lions.  She gave up 11 runs on 11 hits.  She walked three and struck out two.

CL 13, GHV 0

The Lions pounded out 18 hits, including three doubles in a decisive win over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Thursday, June 7.

“The girls responded well from the night before.  We hit the ball extremely well, and defensively we were solid behind Rachel Thornton,” said Coach Peterson.

Five Lions had more than three hits apiece in the win.  Macy Mixdorf was one fire, smacking four hits, including a double.  She collected two RBIs.  Chloe Mueller brought in four runs with her three hits, one which went for extra bases, while Julia Merfeld collected two RBIs with her three hits.  Rachel Barillas and Chelsey Holck also had three hits apiece, with Barillas getting a double and Holck recording a RBI.

The Lions started and ended strong, getting two runs in the first on an error and a single by Merfeld, and four in the second.  They added another run in the sixth, then broke the game wide open with five in the seventh.

   Rachel Thornton surrendered just three hits to the Cardinals.  She struck out four and walked none in seven innings pitched.

Maddie Graham toed the rubber for GHV.  She lasted seven innings, allowing 18 hits and 13 runs while walking one.

“Maddie did exactly what she was asked to do.  She went right at hitters and gave her defense outs.  Unfortunately, we did not capitalize on the outs that were given to us,” said GHV Coach Kaitlin Murphy,

Nicole Upmeyer had two hits and Jillian Heitland had a double for the Cardinals.

GHV fell to 1-8 on the season with the loss.

Emmetsburg tourney

The Lions were at Emmetsburg Saturday for a pair of games.  The team was topped by Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayshire and the host E-Hawks.

In the first game against G-T/R-A the teams were locked in a 1-1 game through five innings, but the Titans broke it open with some timely hits and won, 7-2.

“We couldn’t make the plays.  Our bats were hitting it hard but we could not string any hits together,” said Coach Austin Peterson.

Chloe Mueller, Sara Faber and Rachel Barillas had two hits apiece for the Lions.  Barillas, along with Mallory Leisure, smacked doubles in the loss.

Rachel Thornton gave up seven runs on 10 hits.  She walked three.

Sara Faber hit a home run to start the second game against Emmetsburg, but the lead was short-lived.  Some errors with two outs in the bottom of the first contributed three extra runs in a five run inning for the E-Hawks.  They added more runs in the second and third to take a 7-1.

Faber again provided a spark in the fourth , hitting a ball to the fence with two out.  The Emmetsburg outfielder robbed the Lion sophomore of a second home run, saving the game from being tied at 7-7.

Down 9-3 heading into the final inning, the Lions tried to rally, but could only plate one run and went down, 9-4.

Macy Mixdorf was the only Lion with multiple hits.  She had two of Clear Lake’s seven hits in the game.   Faber, Rachel Barillas and Mikayla VanderPloeg earned RBIs.

Eighth grader Ashlyn Fread took the loss on the mound.  She gave up five runs on four hits and a walk.  She struck out one.  Rachel Thornton came in and was touched for four runs on 10 hits.

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