Clear Lake girls wrap up regular season

(Above) Clear Lake pitcher Reagan Brackey tries to get a pitch past a Garrigan batter during Thursday night’s game.  Erin O’Tool is prepared at the catcher position. -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Clear Lake girls wrapped up the regular season last week with six games.  The Lions are 9-17 heading into Regional play tonight (Wednesday, July 6) against Crestwood.  The game will be played at 7 p.m. in Cresco.  The winner will meet the winner of the Osage vs. Forest City game in the second round on Friday, July 8, at Cresco.

Humboldt 10, CL 2

Sixth ranked (3A) Humboldt needed a seven run fifth inning to top a pesky Lions squad Monday, June 27.  The runs propelled the Wildcats to a 10-2 North Central Conference win.

Kirsten Baalson and the Lion defense had Humboldt on its heels through scoreless innings.  But in the top of the fifth the Wildcats put the pressure on with a steady string of hits which scored seven.

The Lions answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth, thanks to a solo home run by Sara Faber, but Humboldt got out of town with the win.  It was Faber’s second home run of the season.

Tori Fyfe had the other RBI for the Lions.  Erin O’Tool had two hits in the game and Chloe Mueller had one.

Baalson took the loss.  She gave up 10 runs on 11 hits.  Six of the runs were earned.  She walked one and struck out five.

Algona 8, CL 5

The Lions hosted Algona Tuesday in an NCC make-up game.  The Lions were leading 4-3 heading into the fifth inning, but a costly error resulted in the Bulldogs scoring three and then holding on for the win.

Macy Mixdorf, Kaylee Nosbisch and Julia Merfeld were all 2/4 at the plate.

Kiersten Baalson was tagged with the loss.

CL 9, Newman 5

The Lions’ bats exploded for four runs in the seventh inning to give the team a 9-5 victory over Newman Catholic Tuesday evening.  It was the second game of the day for Clear Lake, which had battled Algona in a make-up game earlier in the day.

After a scoreless first three innings, Clear Lake broke the tie with Julia Merfeld doubling to lead off the inning and later scoring.

Newman scored three in the bottom of the fourth, but the Lions came back with four runs in the fifth and four more in the seventh.

Chloe Mueller and Sara Faber each knocked in three runs in the game to lead the Lion. Kayla Ritter had two RBIs.

Julia Merfeld had three hits for Clear Lake.  Sara Faber and Macy Mixdorf each went 2/4 with a double.

Kiersten Baalson got the well-deserved win.  The junior, who pitched 14 innings on Tuesday, allowed just six hits.  She walked two and struck out one.

CL 8, Algona 7

Down by two runs, with two out, and nobody on base in the seventh inning, the Lions came back to beat Algona, 8-7, Wednesday, June 29.

“I loved how the girls kept fighting.  We were in a tough spot being down two with two outs but they found a way to win,” said Coach Austin Peterson.

Kayla Ritter hit the game winning single.   

Ritter, Sara Faber, Macy Mixdorf and Erin O’Tool all went 2/4 at the plate. Faber, along with Rachel Barillas had doubles.

  Kiersten Baalson was the winning pitcher.  She gave up eight hits, walked two and struck out two.