Walks equaled runs for Gehlen Catholic as the Jays hosted Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn June 15 at Le Mars. Three of the four batters who were issued walks by HMS came around to score in Gehlen’s 3-1 softball win.
A walk to the Jays in the first inning was followed by a run-scoring single. Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the first two batters drew bases-on-balls. Two stolen bases and a passed ball gave Gehlen a second run. A comebacker to the pitcher and RBI single later, the score was 3-0.
Two of the four Hawk hits came in the top of the seventh and produced a run. Gracie Knobloch led off with a double. Two strikeouts later she was still on second. Eliza Tewes came through with a base hit to score Knobloch. Tewes took second on the throw to the plate but the inning’s third strikeout ended the game.
Tewes was the fourth HMS runner left on base. In the third inning Kamryn Ebel reached base after a passed ball. Abby Kunzman followed with a base hit but a strikeout closed out the inning. Knobloch stroked her first double of the game in the fourth. The Jays stranded a total of six runners.
Gehlen’s Rylee Schnepf struck out 19 Hawks in all, while allowing no free bases. Kamryn Ebel pitched all six innings. She surrendered just three hits while notching six strikeouts. The Hawks committed three errors but the Jays’ three runs were all earned.
“Defensively we played a great game,” noted HMS head coach Stephanie Bronstad. “We had a few good hits but just couldn’t get it going. The girls are working through a slump and learning to fight through it. Kamryn pitched a good game.”
HMS 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 1
Gehlen 1 0 0 0 2 0 x – 3