April 25, 2024

CMB softball gets revenge on Newton, finishes 2-1 at Rose Festival tournament

By Troy Hyde

Collins-Maxwell/Baxter senior Mikayla Eslinger throws out a Benton runner at first base during the opening game of the Rose Festival tournament in State Center. Eslinger had two hits in the 8-3 loss to Class 4A No. 1 Benton and also homered to lead the Raiders to a win over 4A Newton later in the day. (Troy Hyde)

STATE CENTER — One week after splitting two games against Benton and Newton, the Collins-Maxwell/Baxter softball team recorded another split against the Bobcats and Cardinals on Saturday at the annual Rose Festival Tournament.

The Class 2A No. 5 Raiders edged 4A No. 1 Benton in the Newton tournament and then was defeated by the Cardinals later in the day on June 10. Saturday, Benton flipped the script on CMB with an 8-3 win, but the Raiders got the better of Newton, 6-3, later in the day.

CMB improved to 19-5 on the season after ending its day with a 13-1 win over Grand View Christian. The 2-1 day gave the Raiders a fifth-place finish in the tournament.

The Raiders were down three starters on the day. Still missing seniors Heather Jessen and Veronica Condon because of a school trip to Italy, sophomore Hannah Caple also missed the day to attend a wedding in Okoboji.

Freshman Holly Jessen helped the Raiders get an early lead on Benton though. She laced a two-run double to put CMB up 3-1 after one inning.

Benton (22-3) came back to tie the game with two runs in the third and then pulled away with a run in the fifth and four more in the sixth off CMB starter Abbey Kahler. The game was called after six innings because of the 90-minute time limit.

Senior Mikayla Eslinger had two of the Raiders’ five hits, and she drove in a run and scored once. Junior Jordynn Wesselink walked twice.

Kahler (7-5) allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks in the loss.

Freshman Mikayla Houge struck out 10 and allowed just one earned run in the win over Newton in Round 2. The Cardinals (13-11) got eight hits in the game and pulled within 4-3 with all three runs coming in the fifth and sixth innings.

CMB scored four runs in the second to grab an early lead. The Raiders finished off the win with a pair of runs in the seventh.

Houge improved to 11-0 on the season. She now has 103 strikeouts and earned run average of 1.03.

At the plate, Eslinger hit her fifth home run of the season and scored twice. Holly Jessen had three hits, while freshman Abby Husak and junior Katie Camp both had a pair of hits.

The Raiders defeated Grand View Christian (12-7) for the second time this season. They have outscored the Thunder 23-1 in two five-inning games.

Kahler earned the win in Saturday’s triumph, allowing one unearned run on one hit with six strikeouts. She now has 100 strikeouts on the season.

Sophomore Sydney Schmidt threw the final two innings and allowed one hit with one strikeout.

The Raiders collected eight hits from eight different players. Husak had one hit, two runs, one RBI and one stolen base, Camp scored three runs, walked once and had one stolen base and Houge had three RBIs.

Eslinger and sophomore Mikayla Markley had two RBIs and Holly Jessen, Wesselink and freshman Emma Kahler all scored two runs. Holly Jessen and Abbey Kahler both walked twice. The Raiders drew 10 walks in the game.

CMB plays Prairie City-Monroe at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Monroe. The Raiders are 11-1 in Heart of Iowa Conference play, while the Mustangs (11-8) are 9-2 in league play.