In a battle of undefeated softball teams, #5 in 3A Estherville Lincoln Central defeated #14 in 4A Storm Lake 9-2 this (Wed) evening on the Tornado diamond.
ELC jumped out to an 8-0 lead after three innings, and they were aided by four Tornado errors. Storm Lake was held to two hits in the game, both by Mackenzie Harder. The first eight Tornado batters were retired until Harder reached on a bunt single in the 3rd. The only other Storm Lake baserunner in the first five innings came on a walk to Josie Hernandez in the 4th. ELC added a 5th inning run to go up 9-0.
The Tornado runs came in the 6th. Harder led off with another bunt single, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Avery DeHaan followed with a walk. Maddy Raveling put down a sacrifice bunt in which Harder came around to score all the way from second base, marking the first earned run that Midgets pitcher Rylee Yager has allowed all season. DeHaan advanced to third base on that play, and wound up scoring after Hernandez reached on a dropped third strike.
ELC had 13 hits to Storm Lake’s two. Yager was lights out racking up 15 strikeouts. DeHaan had four strikeouts for the Tornadoes, and retired the last eight batters she faced.
ELC improves to 19-0, and 5-0 in the Lakes Conference. Storm Lake (13-1, 3-1) will play at Sioux Central tomorrow (Thur), which will be broadcast on Mix 101.7FM.
