Rough start for CL girls; bounce back with wins

(Above) Clear Lake’s Kayla Ritter takes a turn at bat during the Algona game on Wednesday, May 23.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Clear Lake girls started off the 2018 season last week and showed they will be a resilient squad.  The Lions dropped their first two games, but ended the week at .500.

W-SR 2, CL 1

On Tuesday, May 22, the Clear Lake softball team traveled to Waverly-Shell Rock for their first game of the year. The Lions would lose a hard-fought battle falling to Waverly, 2-1.

“We had chances to win, but left too many people on base,” said Head Coach Austin Peterson.  “We just couldn’t find the one hit we needed.

The Go-Hawks scored one run in the second, which was answered by the Lions in the top of the sixth inning.  The home team quickly zapped any momentum Clear Lake had gathered by scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.

Rachel Barillas led the Lions in hitting, going two-for-three with a double, triple and an RBI.  Macy Mixdorf was one-for-two with a walk, and both Kaylee Nosbisch and Rowan Fread each went one-for-three.

Rachel Thornton started the game on the mound for Lions and pitched three innings.  She gave up four hits and one run.  Chelsey Holck came into the game in relief and pitched three innings, giving up four hits and one run.

Algona 9, CL 7

The Lions played their first home game against Algona on Wednesday, May 23.  Clear Lake started off slow, but mounted an exciting comeback before falling just short, 9-7.

The Bulldogs scored early and often.  One run crossed the plate in the first inning, followed by three in the second, two in the third and three in the fifth inning.

The Lions got on the board in the third inning with four runs and then rallied in the fifth for three more.

Julia Merfeld swung a hot bat for the Lions.  She went three-for-four on the night. Macy Mixdorf had two hits in four at-bats with two runs scored and one RBI. Kaylee Nosbisch also went two-for-four.

Chelsey Holck started the game for the Lions and gave up four hits and six runs, five of them earned.  She walked six in two and two-thirds innings.  Rachel Thornton came in to relieve and pitched four and one-third innings, giving up two hits, three runs, one earned.

Coach Peterson said that while the bats came alive for the Lions, they struggled in the field.

“If we had made some plays, we may have had a shot to win,” he said.

CL 9, St. Ansgar 3

The Lions put everything together in their third game in as many days.  On May 24 they earned a 9-3 victory in St. Ansgar.

Clear Lake was hot from the start, scoring two runs in the first, one run in the second, two in the fifth inning and four in the sixth inning.

Julia Merfeld was again the leader at the plate with three hits in four at-bats and two runs scored.  Sara Faber went one-for-four with two runs scored and two RBI. Chloe Mueller and Kaylee Nosbisch each went two-for-four with two RBI.

Rachel Thornton pitched all seven innings for the Lions, giving up eight hits, three runs and striking out two.

CL 15, C-G-D 5

The Lions’ bats continued to roar on the road Friday, May 25.  Fueled by 20 hits, Clear Lake trounced Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 15-5.

The Lions scored just one run in the first, but then plated

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four  runs in the second inning, two more in the fourth, one in the fifth inning, three in the sixth inning, and four in the seventh inning.

Macy Mixdorf reached home plate four times herself and batted in three runs on two hits.  Sara Faber had two hits for the Lions, an RBI and scored two runs.  Rachel Barillas was three-for-five at the plate with two RBI.  Kayla Ritter also went three-for-five. Mallory Leisure went two for-five with two RBI.

Rachel Thornton pitched all seven innings for the Lions.  She gave up seven hits and five runs, four of them earned.  She struck out two and walked three.

The Lions finished the week 2-2 overall and 1-1 in North Central Conference.

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