Softball team is peaking at right time

Layne Lester gets the out as an Iowa Falls-Alden runner fails to get back to base.  Also pictured for Clear Lake is Macey Holck.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragyt

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake softball team looks to be peaking at just the right time.  Last week the Lions fell to league-leading Webster City, but came back to top Iowa Falls-Alden and then knock off eighth ranked (1A) Newman Catholic.  The wins lifted the Lions to 6-12 overall.  Clear Lake was slated to play three games this week before beginning the post-season Tuesday, July 6.

WC 15, CL 5 (6)

Webster City maintained its perfect North Central Conference record with a 15-5 victory over Clear Lake in six innings Monday, June 21.  

The Lions stayed with the Lynx early, scoring two runs in each of the first and second innings and adding another in the third.  However, Webster City also scored in each frame and pushed the score needed for the 10-run margin across in the bottom of the fifth.

Makella Jacobs had a home run to start the first inning for the Lions and finished the game with 2 RBIs.  

The remainder of Clear Lake’s five hits came from Annika Nelson, Emeny Brattrud, Chelsey Holck and Reese Brownlee.

“Our bats started out hitting well and stayed with Webster City for three innings and then we had a few hiccups on defense,” said Coach Shelly Zeitler.

Alivia Hauge took the loss on the mound.  She gave up 14 runs on 11 hits and issued one walk in two and two-thirds innings of work.  Ashlyn Fread surrendered three hits and a run.  She struck out one.

CL 7, IF-A 3

On Wednesday, the Lions defeated Iowa Falls-Alden, 7-4, in a North Central Conference game.  

Offensively for the Lions, Annika Nelson, Chelsey Holck and Macey Holck each had two hits with a double.  Chelsey Holck led the team with two RBIs.

Alivia Hauge was on the mound for the win, giving up four runs on five hits with two strike outs.

CL 13, Newman 7

Clear Lake’s offense broke out in a big way Tuesday night, giving the Lions their most noteworthy win of the season.  The Lions used 14 hits to stun eighth ranked (1A) Newman Catholic, 13-7.

The Lions trailed early, but scored four runs in the third to pull ahead, 4-3.  Layne Lester and Emeny Brattrud each had RBIs in the inning.  

The fourth inning is where the game was blown open.  The Lions sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs for an 11-5 lead.  Newman errors and wild pitches fueled the onslaught.

Brattrud finished the game with three hits and three RBIs for the Lions.  Chelsey Holck was three-for-four at the plate with an RBI.  The senior scored three times and reached base five times in the game.   Annika Nelson had two hits and two RBIs for the Lions.

Coach Shelly Zeitler was pleased with her team on several fronts.

“Finally, we might be getting over the hump,” said the coach.  “Ashlyn Fread threw a great game with seven runs on 11 hits and with six strikeouts and five walks.”

Newman had its chances to score, but left the bases loaded in the third and fifth innings.  A rally in the seventh inning was stopped at two by solid Lion defensive play.