A win and two losses for CL softball

(Above) Clear Lake’s Chloe Mueller makes a play at first base to get a Waverly-Shell Rock runner out.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The season got off to a rough start, but the Clear Lake girls softball team ended their first week of action with a win.  They are now 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the North Central Conference. Coach Austin Peterson said he was pleased with the progress his team has shown over three games and is looking forward to being at full strength once the golf and soccer seasons have ended for Clear Lake girls.

W-SR 18, CL 3

The first game of the season was a wet and cold one, as the Lions faced perennial power Waverly-Shell Rock in their opener on Tuesday, May 23.   The game was close to start, but the Go-Hawks eventually pulled away for an 18-3 win.

W-SR started the game off with a run in the first, but in the bottom of the inning Julia Merfeld slapped a single and ran all the way to third on an error.  Macy Mixdorf hit Merfeld in to make the score 1-1 after the first inning.

Waverly added five runs in the third inning, but again Clear Lake answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own.  Merfeld and Sara Faber each started the inning off with a single.  Michaela Niles brought Merfeld in with a single, while Sara Faber scored off a wild pitch, making the score 6-3 Go-Hawks after three innings.

In the top of the fourth, Waverly busted the game open with a 12 run inning.  The Lions could not score any runs in the bottom half of the inning, ending the game with an 18-3 score.

Sara Faber was one-for-two at the plate with one run scored.  Merfeld was two-for-two with two runs scored.  Nile had one hit with an RBI.  Mixdorf and Rachel Barillas each contributed an RBI.

Kiersten Baalson took the loss, pitching three and one-half innings and giving up nine runs, eight earned.  She walked three and struck out four.  Kayla Ritter pitched in the top half of the fourth and give up nine runs, all earned.

Algona 9, CL 4

The second game of the season sent the Lions traveling to Algona on Wednesday, May 24, for their first North Central Conference game.  The Lions battled the entire game, but costly mistakes

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember]

[wlm_ismember]

in the field hurt the team, as they had three errors.  Each miscue resulted in two runs scored after they were committed.  The Lions fell to the Bulldogs, 9-4.

Algona got on the board early with two runs in the first and three runs in the third, with only two being earned.  They added four runs in the bottom of sixth, with only two earned.

The Lions scored one run in the fourth when Sara Faber hit a triple and Macy Mixdorf brought her in with a base hit single.

The Lions added two runs in the top of sixth, as Rachel Barillas knocked in Sara Faber and Mixdorf with a two RBI double.   They kept their comeback hopes alive with a run in the bottom of the seventh, as Kayla Ritter started the inning off with a single and Kaylee Nosbisch hit her in on a fielder’s choice.   Unfortunately, the rally ended too early for the Lions,

Sara Faber went two-for-three on the night with two runs scored.  Mixdorf was also two-for-three with a run scored and one RBI.  Barillas had one hit with two RBI.  Bella Parker also went one-for-three with a double and an RBI.

Kiersten Baalson pitched all seven innings for the Lions.  She gave up six earned runs.  She walked none and struck out none.

CL 17, C-G-D 7 (5)

The Lions bounced back strong in their third game of the season.  They faced conference foe Clarion-Goldfield-Dows at home on Friday, May 26, and notched a 17-7 victory in five innings.

The Lions started out slow, giving up three runs in the first inning on two errors.  After that the team settled down and only gave up three more runs in the fourth and one more run in the fifth.

The Lions picked up a run in the first, as Julia Merfeld started the game off with a single and then stole second.  Sara Faber scored Merfeld on a base hit single.

The Lions plated four more runs in the third inning.  Merfeld, Sara Faber, Chloe Mueller and Michaela Niles all scored.

Seven more runs in the fourth inning gave Clear Lake a 12-6 lead.  

The Lions ended the game in the bottom half of the fifth inning with five more runs.  Overall, the team bounded out 16 hits, with every single girl getting a hit and reaching base.

Merfeld went two-for-four on the night with three stolen bases and three runs scored.  Mueller was also two-for-three with three runs scored and two stolen bases.  Sara Faber was a perfect four-for-four with three runs scored, four RBI and two stolen bases .  Niles had two hits in four trips to the plate and two RBI.  Rachel Barillas had one hit and four  RBI.  Kaylee Nosbisch was three-for-four.

Kiersten Baalson picked up the win for the Lions, going all seven innings and giving up only five earned runs.  She had five strikeouts and no walks.

[/wlm_ismember]