Two big wins for GHV girls

It was a week of highs and lows for the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura softball team, as they picked up two big wins, but dropped three.  The Cardinal’s record now stands at 5-13.

GHV 11, West Hancock 4

The Cardinal bats were on fire Monday, June 18, when they picked up their third win in a row with a victory over West Hancock.

GHV got things rolling early, with five runs scored in the first inning.  They led 11-2 by the bottom of the fifth.  The Eagles picked it up in the seventh inning, but the two runs weren’t enough as the game ended with an 11-4 Cardinal victory.

The Cardinals scored 11 runs on 12 hits.  Megan Oetken had a phenomenal night at the plate, connecting on a double and a two run home run.  She also had three RBIs to lead the team.  Trinity Smith, Maddie Graham, and Nicole Upmeyer each added two hits apiece.  One of Smith’s hits was a double.

“The girls did a great job finding pitches they could hit hard and drive somewhere at the plate.  Our discipline at the plate has improved greatly.  The best thing I saw today were the adjustments made by the girls at the plate,” said Coach Kaitlin Murphy.  “I have talked over and over about the multiple chances we get in the box.  If we weren’t successful the first time, we have the opportunity in our sport to change it.  They have been taking full advantage of that lately.”

Jayden Hughes led the team in stolen bases with two.  Kylie Hughes and Kaitlyn Robinson had two RBIs apiece.

Graham was the winning pitcher.  She pitched all seven innings, allowing just four runs on nine hits, and striking out five.

“Maddie did a great job working ahead in the counts and adjusting as she got further into the game,” said Murphy.

St. Ansgar 12, GHV 0

The Cardinals took a pounding on Tuesday, June 19, when they faced St. Ansgar.

The Saints defeated GHV 12-0, in just three innings.

Trinity Smith was the only Cardinal to manage a hit against St. Ansgar’s Lily Walk.

Maddie Graham took the loss on the mound.  She gave up 10 hits and 12 runs, while striking out one.

GHV 25, Eagle Grove 19

The bats came alive Friday night when the Cardinals faced Eagle Grove at home.  The slugfest was a back-and-forth affair, but it was GHV that prevailed in the high scoring, 25-19, victory.

Sadie Oulman got the scoring underway in the first inning when she singled on a 2-1 count, scoring two runs.

Eagle Grove scored five runs in the top of the third and two more in the fourth. GHV answered that with six runs to tie the game, 9-9.  Both teams scored four runs apiece in the fifth inning.

The Eagles scored four runs in the top of the sixth, before the Cardinals got up to bat and cracked the game wide open.  The game became tied, 17-17, when Megan Oetken singled on a hard ground ball, allowing Trinity Smith and Jayden Hughes to score.  GHV took the lead when Megan Oetken and Maddie Graham both scored on a wild pitch.  The runs continued to roll in, as the Cardinals scored 12 total runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good.  The Eagles could only manage two runs in the top of the seventh, as the Cards claimed the 25-19 victory.

Graham led the team to victory in the pitcher’s circle.  She surrendered 17 runs on 13 hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out three.  Kylie Hughes also saw time on the mound, giving up two runs on two hits and striking out one.

GHV had 10 hits in the game, compared to 15 by the Eagles.   Oetken led GHV at the plate, driving in four runs and scoring four runs.  She went three-for-four at the plate.  Jailyn Krein also connected on there hits.  She scored three runs and had one RBI.  Both Oetken and Krein hit doubles.

Trinity Smith scored the most runs with five.  Jayden Hughes, Oulman and Nicole Upmeyer had multiple RBIs.

West Fork 3, GHV 1

Gilbert 12, GHV 4

The Cardinals competed in a tournament at West Fork on Saturday, June 23.  GHV went 0-2, with loses to West Fork and Gilbert.

The Cards fell behind early against West Fork when a home run brought in three runs in the first inning.  GHV didn’t score until the sixth inning, when Megan Oetken hit a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Jillian Heitland to score.

The pitching was strong on both sides, with both pitchers sitting down four batters.  Maddie Graham took the loss for GHV, pitching all six innings.

Heitland led the team at the plate, going two-for-three.

Despite a strong third inning, the Cardinals couldn’t plate enough runs to top Gilbert in the second game.  Gilbert, who collected 17 hits in the game, defeated the Cardinals, 12-4.

GHV scored all their runs in the third inning. Heitland started the scoring with a line drive to center field that allowed Jayden Hughes to score.  Next, Graham hit a single that scored Kaitlyn Robinson.  Hughes crossed the plate on a wild pitch and Heitland scored after tagging up on Nicole Upmeyer’s fly to center field.  GHV led after the third inning, 4-3.

Gilbert took over from their, scoring five runs in the fifth and four in the sixth for the victory.

Kylie Hughes took the loss for GHV.  She pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowing 11 hits and eight runs, while striking out one.  Graham wrapped up the game, allowing six hits and four runs.

Jayden Hughes, Heitland, Megan Oetken, Graham and Kylie Hughes all had one hit apiece.