Lynnville-Sully uses Hawk softball to advance in 1A regional

SULLY — Lynnville-Sully’s softball team is in familiar territory — the Class 1A playoffs — but it’s different. In the past the Hawks have flown into regional tournament action as a ranked team and a favorite. Not so in 2016.

The Hawks opened 1A Region 6 tournament action at home Tuesday against Southeast Warren’s Warhawks. The Warhawks won the coin toss choosing to be the home team on the Hawks’ field.

Much like Lynnville-Sully’s season, it got off to a slow start but finished strong with a 13-3 win. The Hawks (16-16) advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday. They take on 12th-ranked Colfax-Mingo (23-9) at 7 p.m. at Colfax.

It will be the third meeting of the season for the two South Iowa Cedar League teams. Colfax-Mingo beat Lynnville-Sully 15-4 in the season opener then slipped past the Hawks, 4-3, on June 20.

“We had a rough start to the season, and we’ve had a lot of learning moments this season,” Hawk senior second baseman Kaisha Ehresman said after leading her team to Tuesday’s win. “I’m excited about how we’re playing right now. I think we can make it to state if we play well.”

Ehresman, who was 4-for-4 with four singles and had six stolen bases against the Warhawks, said Lynnville-Sully hit the ball well after adjusting to the Southeast Warren pitcher. The Hawks had 13 hits and 18 stolen bases in the game.

“Our defense was pretty sharp,” Ehresman said.

Lynnville-Sully broke through in the third innings with two gone. Haley James reached on an error then stole second base. Ehresman beat out a bunt for a base hit. James scored on a wild pitch as Ehresman ended up at third base on the play.

Mallory Loftus delivered an RBI single to center field followed by McKinley Conover drawing a walk. Brenna Lanser sent the ball deep to the center field fence for a two-run double.

The Warhawks appeared ready to answer in their half of the fourth with two on base and no one out. Lynnville-Sully’s starting pitcher Carson Fisk got a ground ball to Lanser at third base, who fielded the ball, stepped on the base and threw to first for a double play. Another ground-ball out ended the Warhawk threat.

“Kasiah got on in the first inning and stole second base. We had the steal on for her again, and Mallory had a great hit, but their second baseman made the catch at her toes. They doubled us off of second,” Hawk head coach Stacey Alberts said. “We were a little slow getting started and the girls’ energy was a bit slower than their coach wanted it.”

Alberts said the Hawk batters adjusted to the pitcher in the third inning then made adjustments again when Southeast Warren made a pitching change. Lynnville-Sully scored three more runs in the fifth in much the same pattern — bunting, base running and hitting balls to the gaps.

“We played solid defense as we have all year. We’re playing our best ball right now, which is what you want to see as a coach,” Alberts said.

Southeast Warren pushed three runs across in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it 7-3. After a double and a single produced a run, Alberts switched pitchers. Loftus went to the circle for Fisk and the Hawks allowed two more runs, but that was it.

Lanser and Kristen Der Wilt were hit by pitches to open the seventh inning. Warhawk starting pitcher Kennedy Johns returned to the circle, and she was greeted by a bunt single by Fisk as two runs crossed the plate.

The Hawks kept the line moving as Shilo Cunningham had a bunt single then swiped second and third. James was hit by a pitch followed by a bunt single by Ehresman, a RBI ground-out by Loftus and a two-run single by Conover.

Conover pitched the seventh inning for Lynnville-Sully, allowing a hit to start then retired the next three batters. Fisk got the pitching win, going five innings and giving up two runs on six hits and one walk. She struck out two. Loftus allowed one run on three hits.

Lanser had a single and a double with three RBIs. Loftus and Fisk each had two singles. Cunningham, James and Conover each had a single.

“We knew this was do or die. If you don’t win there’s no ‘see you tomorrow on the field,’” Lynnville-Sully senior left fielder Shelby Foster. “We knew what we needed to do. We’ve played Colfax-Mingo twice and definitely prepared for (Wednesday’s game). We’re going to go out and put the ball in play and play a good game.”

Alberts said it took her and her coaching staff some time to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each player this season. She said they were looking to find the right balance with the players on the field.

“When they are all clicking, they each bring something different to the team, which complements each other,” Alberts said of the Hawk team with just three seniors on it. “The girls are understanding their roles on the team, playing within themselves and we as coaches know what to ask of them at the plate and defensively.”

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com