Tigers of softball, baseball get going on firm note

Softball: Tigers 11, Minneota 3

MACA softball picked up its second win Friday (4/11) in non-conference play, plating eleven runs in the success vs. Minneota.

The offense looks robust but the Tigers didn't need to knock the cover off the ball. Minneota pitching was marked by wildness. MACA batters tossed their bats aside and trotted down to first base eight times. In fact, MACA bats generated just three hits. These were off the bats of Nicole Strobel, Brianna Abril and Megan Gillespie. Strobel's hit was a triple.

Brook Bauman had a pair of hits for Minneota, one a double. Alex DeSmet also hit safely for the loser.

The winning Tigers had two pitchers share the load. Lacee Maanum was the pitcher of record with her relief appearance of four and a third innings. Lacee set down four Minneota batters on strikes. She allowed one hit and walked two. Kayla Pring was the other Tiger working on the pitching rubber. Kayla fanned four batters and walked none in her two and two-thirds innings. She allowed four hits and the three Minneota runs which were earned.

Bauman was the losing pitcher.

MACA led 2-0 after two innings. Minneota broke through to score three runs in the third to go up on the Tigers. Morris Area Chokio Alberta got its engines humming again to score one run in the fifth, five in the sixth and three in the seventh, pulling away to win in the 11-3 final. Our line score was eleven runs, three hits and two errors, while Minneota put up 3-5-3 numbers.

 

Baseball: Tigers 7, LQPV 3

The headline in the Willmar newspaper said "Morris/CA trips up Lac qui Parle Valley." I don't think I've ever used the expression "tripping up" among the thousands of headlines I've written. It sounds kind of mean. Headlines can test your capacity to be gentle. I remember once referring to a loss as a "debacle." I got needled about that. We don't want to become sadistic. "Steamrolls" borders on the sadistic.

Our Tigers of baseball "tripped up" the Eagles of Lac qui Parle Valley Friday in Madison. The fourth inning saw our orange and black get into the driver's seat with a four-run rally. We scored single runs in the first, sixth and seventh.

The Tiger line score was seven runs, five hits and a nice "zero" under errors (always great to see in early-season). LQPV had a line score of 3-8-2. 

That big four-run rally was highlighted by a Nick Solvie three-run double.

Lac qui Parle scored single runs in the second, third and seventh.

Noah Grove turned in a workmanlike performance on the mound. Working the full seven innings, Grove fanned four batters and walked three while scattering eight hits and giving up the three LQPV runs which were earned. Austin Haas took the loss for the host. Dylan Lillejord also pitched.

Corey Storck had a multiple-hit game for the Tigers. Corey had a double while going two-for-four, and he drove in two runs. Brady Jergenson scored two runs while going one-for-three. Solvie had a nice RBI output of three. Bryce Jergenson had a one-for-four day.

Brandon Hill paced the LQPV offense, going two-for-three with a double and driving in two runs. Lillejord picked up an RBI.

Morris Area Chokio Alberta could feel satisfied with its 7-3 road win. We'd all be more satisfied if the temperature could climb a little. Why do we live here?

 

Softball: Tigers 5, BOLD 4

The Olivia diamond was the site for a 5-4 triumph by the MACA softball girls on Thursday, 4/10. The game marked the start of the conference slate.

MACA made a statement right away, plating two runs each in the first and second innings. BOLD got going with a three-run third. It was going to be a hard-fought diamond battle. MACA plated its fifth run in the fourth. BOLD answered with one in the sixth but the MACA defense and the pitching of Kayla Pring proved sufficient to slam the door on the Warriors. MACA could savor its 5-4 win in conference wars.

Pring scattered nine hits. Two of the four runs she gave up were unearned. She baffled the Warrior batters much of the time as she accumulated nine strikeouts. She walked just two.

Morgan Flann was the losing pitcher, also going the distance.

The Warriors did the Tigers some favors with eight stranded baserunners and four errors in the field. The MACA line score was five runs, six hits and three errors. BOLD's numbers: 4-9-4. Lauren Reimers had the hot bat for the Tigers. Lauren went two-for-four with three RBIs and two runs scored. Becca Holland had a hit and crossed home plate twice. Abby Daly went one-for-three with a run-batted-in. Sam Henrichs had a hit and a run scored, and Lacee Maanum went one-for-three.

Three BOLD batters had two hits each: Lauren Kopel, Paige Larson and Elsa Skeie.

Now let's have the sun come out to make the conditions more pleasant as the schedule picks up steam!

- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com