Two teams top Clear Lake in softball action

by Marianne GasawayNorth Central Conference rivals Webster City and Humboldt kept the Lions winless last week.  Both opponents maintained their perfect records in the NCC with victories.The Lions will have plenty of opportunities to break into the win column this week, if the weather cooperates.  They are slated to be at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Thursday, June 9, before hosting Iowa Falls-Alden on Friday.  Monday they are at Algona and Tuesday, June 14, Mason City comes to town, followed by Hampton-Dumont on Wednesday.Webster City 7, CL 1Webster City’s Delainey Bargfrede struck out 11, as the Lynx drubbed the Lions, 7-1, Wednesday, June 1.  Webster City improved to 4-1 with the win and sits atop the North Central Conference.  The Lions fell to 0-2.The Lynx struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning, however the Lions answered with an unearned run in the top of the third to tie the game up at 1.   Annika Nelson scored the lone run for the Lions in the third inning, with the RBI going to Autumn VanHorn.  Nelson went three-for-four at the plate with two doubles.  Macey Holck also had a double for the Lions. That one run was all that Bargfrede would allow on the mound, as the Lynx locked down the scoring from there. Clear Lake finished with seven hits in the game.Webster City scored one run in the bottom of third to regain the lead and then broke loose for five in the fourth.Alivia Hauge was on the mound for Clear Lake.  She faced 34 batters and gave up seven runs on 10 hits with three walks and three strikeouts for the night.Humboldt 9, CL 3The next night the Lions traveled to Humboldt, where they were beaten 9-3.The Lions had eight hits on the night, with Annika Nelson and Layne Lester each going two-for-three. Meagen Paine scored runs while also going two-for-three at the bat.  Coach Shelly Zeitler said defensively the Lions were plagued by errors.  A disastrous third inning allowed the Wildcats to score their nine runs.Ashlyn Fread and Alivia Hauge pitched for the Lions and combined for six innings of work with nine runs given up on 13 hits and two strikeouts and no walks on the night.