State-ranked Carlisle too much for PCM softball

MONROE — The Prairie City-Monroe softball team doesn’t have to play a Class 4A program as good as Carlisle in the non-conference season.

The Mustangs could drop down and play 1A or 2A schools. They could stick with 3A programs.

But that’s not PCM’s way. The Mustangs and head coach Whitney Plein would rather play some of the best teams in the state than blowout smaller, less-talented schools.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, 4A No. 4 Carlisle was just a little better on Tuesday night. The Wildcats got a lead-off home run from Agatha Beier and the early advantage held up in a 4-2 non-conference road victory.

“We played very well. We had a plan offensively and did well with that plan,” Plein said. “We just couldn’t string enough hits together to produce more runs, but we played well overall.”

PCM was held to one hit in the first four innings by junior Gabby Schnathorst, but junior Abby Waddell blasted a two-run homer against eighth-grader Maren Judisch to give the Mustangs some life.

Judisch eventually settled in though, closing out the win with pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh inning.

PCM junior Kayla Jennings threw very well against a Carlisle offense batting .396 as a team.

Jennings scattered 11 hits, allowed four earned runs and walked three in taking the loss. She pitched out of a few jams as Carlisle stranded nine runners on base and seven in scoring position.

“She pitched very well. She’s been put in some tight spots this year, but the defense did its job tonight,” Plein said. “Overall, the girls did what we ask, we just couldn’t put it all together.”

Beier entered the game hitting .568. She got the Wildcats off to a good start when she drilled a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left field.

Carlisle went up 2-0 in the fourth when Emily Twist doubled and then scored on an RBI ground out by Cortney Joiner. The Wildcats tacked on two more in the fifth to go up 4-0.

The Mustangs threatened in the second as juniors Chelbie Gillespie and Courtney Bridges both reached on Carlisle errors. Schnathorst got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

PCM’s second threat came in the fourth. With two outs, Bridges walked and then junior Jaiden Rogers collected the team’s first hit. Schnathorst ended the threat with a ground ball to first base.

Carlisle pulled Schnathorst with a one-hitter in the fifth. The Mustangs jumped all over Judisch in the fifth.

Jennings doubled to the fence in left field and then Waddell followed with a two-run blast over the fence in left field. Waddell’s first homer of the season and second of her career trimmed the Mustang deficit to 4-2.

“She’s seeing the ball well and hitting it well so far,” Plein said about Waddell.

Judisch ran into more trouble in the sixth, but she pitched out of it.

Rogers doubled with two outs and sophomore Madison Foster singled to put runners on the corners. The inning ended with a Judisch strikeout.

Judisch began the seventh with back-to-back strikeouts, finishing with four in the final three innings.

Carlisle (9-5) came into the game with five losses but all five came against 5A ranked programs. The loss drops PCM to 5-5 on the season.

“We look to always better ourselves. We want to play great teams,” Plein said. ‘That’s how you become great. The girls held their own tonight. (Carlisle) just happened to come out on top.”

The Mustangs play at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Nevada. They host Gilbert at 7 p.m. Friday.

Saydel 9, PCM 8

DES MOINES — The Mustangs hit a pair of home runs, but an early deficit was too much to overcome Monday against the Eagles during Heart of Iowa Conference action.

Jayci Vos had three hits, including a home run, as well as five RBIs. She also walked.

Rogers blasted her first varsity homer and finished 2-for-2 with three runs, two RBIs and two walks. Waddell had two hits, two walks and a run scored, while Jennings had two hits and a run.

Jennings took the loss in the circle, allowing six earned runs on nine hits. She walked four and struck out four.

PCM is now 3-4 in HOIC play. Saydel led 7-5 after three innings and scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to win by one.