CL girls end week on upswing with two wins

(Above) Clear Lake’s Emily Theiss eyes the field from first base as she contemplates her next move. -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake softball team ended its week on the upswing, as they added two non-conference wins to their record.  The team is 7-8 overall and 3-4 in the North Central Conference.

The Lions begin post-season play tonight (Wednesday, July 15) in Forest City.  The first round Regional game is scheduled for 5 p.m. against Algona.

CL 12, GHV 0 (3)

The Lions were fierce in a three-inning 12-0 win over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Monday, July 6.

“We came out strong in the field and at the plate,” said Coach Austin Peterson.  “We put the ball in play well and really stepped up defensively.  It was nice to see us play really solid especially after coming off the Fourth of July.”

Clear Lake opened with three  runs in the first on doubles by Sara Faber and Emeny Brattrud and an RBI single from Layne Lester.

Four more runs crossed home plate in the second inning.  Emily Theiss started things off with a walk and scored on a triple hit to center field by Julia Merfeld.  Merfeld scampered in when Faber launched a sacrifice fly to center, making the score 5-0.  Annika Nelson and Brattrud each reached on singles and the bases were loaded when Chelsey Holck was hit by a pitch.  A single by Lester scored Nelson and Brattrud stole home.

The Lions finished off the Cards in the third.  A double from Theiss was followed by a Merfeld single and Colbert hit by a pitch.  Nelson stepped to the plate with one out and served up an RBI single.  Brattrud and Holck did the same to push the score to 10-0.  A single from Bella Parker scored another run and Holck stole home to end the game by the run-rule.

Alivia Hauge was the winning pitcher.  She gave up six hits, struck out one and walked none in three innings of work.

Merfeld, Brattrud and Lester led the Lions with three hits apiece.  As a team, the Lions had 17 hits in the game.

The win improved the Lions’ record to 6-7.

Newman 14, CL 5

Clear Lake fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 14-5 loss to Newman Catholic on Wednesday, July 8.  Newman plated six runs in the first inning and responded to a late run in the fifth and sixth by the Lions with more runs.

Senior Julia Merfeld collected four hits in defeat. Merfeld singled in the first, singled in the third, doubled in the fifth, and tripled in the sixth.  Her double in the fifth was part of a three-run inning for the Lions. Bella Parker started the rally with a lead-off single, followed by a walk to Emily Theiss.  Merfeld’s blast scored Parker and put Theiss on third, where Sara Faber’s single brought her in.  Emeny Brattrud also singled in the inning to score Merfeld.

The Lions scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth when Parker walked and scored on a triple from Merfeld.  Delaney Eden delivered a fly ball single to right field for an RBI.

Paige Leininger took the win for Newman Catholic. She surrendered zero runs on four hits over four innings, striking out five and walking one.  Leah Martinez threw three innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Alivia Hauge took the loss for the Lions.  She  Clear Lake Lions Varsity. She lasted one inning, allowing seven hits and six runs while walking zero. Ashland Fread came in the relieve.  She have up eight runs on nine hits, striking out five and walked one.

“We were not ready to go,” said Coach Peterson after the game.  “We had four errors in the first inning which cost us six runs.  We can’t spot a good team six runs in the first inning.  Our bats took awhile to come along, but once they started up we had dug ourselves a whole and couldn’t get out of it.  We have some things to clean up before tournament time.”

CL 4, Lake Mills 0

Ashlyn Fread and Alivia Hauge combined to throw a shutout against Lake Mills Friday, July 10, resulting in a 4-0 win.

“I am really proud how we responded after the Newman game.  We fielded much better and hit the ball really well,” said Coach Peterson.  “We hit the ball hard, but just right at them.  We are going to have games like that where you hit the ball hard, but right at them.  It was nice to see us not panic, but just continue to play and control the game.”

The Lions scored three of their four runs in the first two innings.

In the first, Julia Merfeld walked and advanced on a fielder’s choice by Kennadi Colbert and Sara Faber single.  Merfeld successfully stole home and Faber followed on a single by Annika Nelson.  Another hit by Faber in the second scored Emily Theiss, who had reached base on a walk.

Faber and Nelson each finished with three hits in the game.  Chelsey Holck had two.

Fread led things off in the pitcher’s circle for the Lions.  She went six innings, allowing zero runs on five hits, striking out three and walking zero. Hauge pitched the final inning, giving up one hit.