Week ends on an upswing for Cardinals

(Above) GHV’s Nicole Upmeyer bunts during the Algona game on Tuesday, June 12.  The Cardinals fell to the Bulldogs, 15-3.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The week ended on an upswing for the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura softball team when they picked up two wins against Nashua Plainfield and Lake Mills.  The wins moved the Cardinal’s record to 3-10.

Algona 15, GHV 3

The Cardinals had a hard time scoring on Tuesday, June 12, when they hosted Algona.  The Bulldogs, on the other hand, didn’t have a problem, as they downed GHV 15-3.

The Cardinals were first on the scoreboard, when Kaitlyn Robinson singled, allowing Nicole Upmeyer to score.

The Bulldogs had a huge fourth inning, scoring six runs.  The Cardinals scored two of their own.  Kylie Hughes knocked a single fly to center field that allowed Maddie Graham to score.  The final run came when Upmeyer stole home, 6-3.

Algona put the game out of reach by scoring another six runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth for the final, 15-3.

“We gave up a couple of big innings and it’s hard to get the momentum back on our side to get the bats going again,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.

Maddie Graham pitched four innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits.  Also pitching was Jillian Heitland and Hughes.  Heitland gave up six runs and one hit and Hughes gave up three runs on three hits.

Graham led the team at the plate, going two-for-three.  Jayden Hughes, Heitland, Kylie Hughes and Kaitlyn Robinson each had one hit.

Rockford 16, GHV 6

GHV lost a lead late in the game in a 16-6 defeat at the hands of Rockford on Wednesday, June 13.

The Cardinals had a huge second inning to take an early lead.  Jailyn Krein got things rolling with a single to right field that allowed Maddie Graham to score.  Jayden Hughes singled on a fly ball that allowed Krein to score.  Jillian Heitland followed that up with a triple fly ball that scored Trinity Smith and Jayden Hughes.  Megan Oetken singled and that brought in Heitland, giving GHV a 6-1 lead.

Rockford went on to score 15 runs in the remainder of the game to win the contest.

“Once again we started the game off excellent,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.  “Algona made a pitching change, and it completely froze our bats.”

Maddie Graham started on the mound.  She struck out two and surrendered nine runs on six hits.  Kylie Hughes closed out the game, allowing eight runs on eight hits.

Kaitlyn Robinson and Krein led the team at the plate with two hits apiece.  Heitland’s triple led to two RBIs.

GHV 12, Nashua-Plainfield 1

The Cardinals got the bats going Thursday night, June 14, when they defeated Nashua-Plainfield in a 12-1 slugfest.

“We finally put it all together today and there is no greater feeling than this win,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.  “I am so proud of how the girls came out and put the pedal to the metal at the plate.”

The Cards collected 12 hits compared to N-P’s six.  Megan Oetken, Jayden Hughes and Jailyn Krein all collected multiple hits.  Hughes and Oetken had three hits apiece and one double each to lead the team.  Oetken and Krein led the team in RBIs with three apiece.

Maddie Graham pitched all five innings.  She allowed six hits and one run.  She struck out two to gain the win.

“Maddie worked ahead on most of her batters and that gave our defense the confidence to make the plays we needed to,” said Murphy.

GHV 11, Lake Mills 8

A seventh inning surge helped to propel the Cardinals past Lake Mills, 11-8, on Friday, June 15.

GHV scored its first run of the game when Megan Oetken smacked a double that allowed Trinity Smith to score.  They scored two more times in the first inning.  Jayden Hughes scored when Maddie Graham grounded out to the third baseman and Shelby Howke scored on a single by Sadie Oulman.

The Bulldogs followed that with a strong performance of their own, scoring six runs for a 6-3 score after the first inning.

The Cards scored in the second inning when Smith stole home.  They also scored in the third inning when Smith hit a single that allowed Nicole Upmeyer to score.  Lake Mills scored two more runs in the second inning to take an 8-5 lead.

GHV slowly chipped away at the lead, scoring one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. Smith’s batting skills really payed off with a home run to left field in the fifth inning. Kylie Hughes hit a fly ball to left field that allowed Graham to score in the sixth inning.  The Cards closed the score to 8-7.

Hughes scored on a walk to tie the game, 8-8.  Oulman cracked the game wide open when she connected on a double that allowed three runners to score, Jillian Heitland, Howke and Upmeyer.

Graham recorded the win on the mound.  She pitched all seven innings, allowing 13 hits and eight runs, while striking out four.

Smith led the team at the plate, connecting on four hits in five at-bats.  She scored three runs and had two RBIs.  She also led the team in stolen bases with three.  Oulman also had a solid game with two hits, including a double, and four RBIs.