Girls claw their way up in NCC with five-game win streak

(Above) Macey Holck eyes second base as she rounds first base during the game against Humboldt.by Marianne GasawayThe Lions continued to claw their way up the North Central Conference standings during the final week of the regular season.  Clear Lake recorded four NCC wins and won a non-conference tilt with Forest City for a five-game win streak heading into post-season.  The Lions finished fifth in the NCC with a 6-8 record.  They wrapped up the regular season at 8-13.The Lions were slated to take on Garner-Hayfield-Ventura on Wednesday, July 6, in the first round of Regionals.  “We have really got things going and have a  five-game win streak going into Regionals.  Everyone is contributing and the girls really came together tonight as a team,” said Head Coach Shelly Zeitler.  CL 9, Humboldt 7On Monday, June 27, the Lions took on the Humboldt Wildcats (8-6, 14-13) at home.  Fans were treated to a nailbiter, as the Lions held off a late Wildcat charge for a 9-7 conference win.The Lions came out in the first inning and scored Makella Jacobs and Layne Lester for a quick 2-0 lead.  The bats continued to heat up in the third inning, as Clear Lake scored six runs on five hits. Humboldt added three runs in the fifth and with one more run in the bottom of the frame the Lions led, 9-5.  The Wildcats managed two runs in the top of the seventh, but their rally fell short and the game ended, 9-7.The Lions recorded 10 hits in the game.  Lead-off batter Makella Jacobs led the way with three hits, including a double and triple.  Layne Lester, second in the line-up, had two hits and two RBIs. Meagan Paine and Emily Theiss also had two RBIs.Throwing on the mound was Alivia Hauge, who got the win pitching to 34 batters, giving up six runs on five hits.  She had four walks and one strikeout on the night.CL 13, Forest City 3 The Lions sent nine runners home in the second inning on their way to a 13-3 victory over Forest City (6-12) in Tuesday, June 28.  “The offense was hot again tonight,” said Coach Shelly Zeitler.  Collecting two hits apiece for the Lions were Layne Lester and Annika Nelson.  Both of Nelson’s hits were doubles. Makella Jacobs had a triple which scored a run.  Autumn VanHorn and Alivia Paine also collected two RBIs with their timely hits.  Nelson had one.Pitching for the Lions was Ashlyn Fread.  The senior threw a two-hitter in  six innings on the mound.  She allowed three runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks.CL 9, C-G-D 2A five run second inning and four more in the third was plenty enough to down Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (1-13, 5-18) on Wednesday, June 29.  CGD scored first with one run in the first inning, but it was all Lions after that.  A combination of 11 hits and six walks and four hit batters by C-G-D- pitching led to the lopsided win.Meghan Paine paced the team with three hits, while Layne Lester and Autumn VanHorn each had two.   VanHorn and Grace Meyer each had a double.Alivia Hauge got the win for the Lions, giving up two runs on four hits with five strikeouts.  Ashlyn Fread came in and gave up no runs on one hit, a walk and a strikeout.CL 12, H-D 6On June 30, the Lions traveled to Hampton (3-11, 6-17) to play the Bulldogs.  The Lions got their bats going and out scored the Bulldogs, 12-6.  On the night the Lions had a total of  14 hits with three from Makella Jacobs with two RBIs, three from Layne Lester, including a double and three RBIs and two for Grace Meyer.  Josie Lester hit a double on the night with two RBIs after filling in for Layne Lester, who left the game due to a rolled ankle.  Emily Theiss and Alivia Paine also had two RBIs in the win.  Ashlyn Fread started on the mound and gave up four runs on five hits and one hit batter.  Alivia Hauge came in and closed the game with two runs scored on eight hits.  She had one strikeout on the night.CL 8, Algona 6To finish off the regular season, the Lions took on Algona (5-9, 9-16) on the first night of July.  Clear Lake used a four-run sixth inning to continue their win streak.  They won, 8-6.Algona got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the first inning, but the Lions roared back with three, thanks to a homerun from Annika Nelson.  Algona came back to score a run in the second to tie the game at 3-3, but again the Lions answered with a run scored by Autumn VanHorn to give Clear Lake the lead, 4-3.  The Bulldogs took the lead with three runs in the fifth, but in the sixth the Lions scored four more runs to make the final 8-6.  On the night the Lions had 10 hits, with Annika Nelson leading the way with three. Her first inning home run provided three of her four RBIs in the game. Layne Lester and Emily Theiss each had two hits.  Lester and Makella Jacobs each stroked doubles.  Alivia Hauge pitched the complete game and had seven strikeouts.  Six runs scored on six hits and three walks.“This is the best game I think I have seen Liv throw all season,” said Head Coach Shelly Zeitler. “She had great velocity and kept the batters off balance well.  The bench did an outstanding job cheering and keeping everyone in the game.”