PCM softball downs Greene County, Perry in HOIC play

JEFFERSON — It was a night of milestones, records and firsts for PCM’s softball team on Monday.

The Mustangs made their longest conference trip of the season to Jefferson and downed Greene County 6-1 in Heart of Iowa Conference play to complete the season sweep.

The victory included the first career homer for Reese Palm, the first career win in the circle for Rylee Parsons and a new career doubles record for Riley Johannes.

“I was proud of how we were able to compete tonight,” PCM softball coach Shaun Hudnut said. “We fell behind 1-0 early and missed out on some early scoring chances. But we were able stay in it, stay composed and scored six in the last two frames to take the game.”

The Mustangs defeated the Rams 11-0 at home earlier this summer. Monday’s win was much more challenging though.

Greene County plated its only run in the first inning and led until the Mustangs scored twice in the sixth.

Those two runs came from Palm’s two-run homer on an 0-2 count. It was her only hit in the game and she stole one base.

Lark Drake reached on a walk in front of Palm.

The Mustangs (13-9 overall, 6-4 in the conference) tacked on four in the seventh. Sidney Shaver walked and then came all way around to score after Belle Hudnut’s bunt forced a throwing error by the pitcher.

Johannes set the new school record for doubles in a career when she drove in Hudnut to make it 4-1. Johannes then scored on Drake’s RBI single.

Hudnut scored the final run of the game following another Greene County error.

The double by Johannes was the 37th of her career. She took over the top spot from previous record holder Kelsey Townsend (36).

Johannes is now up to 41 career doubles. She added one run, one RBI and one walk against the Rams.

Addison Steenhoek led the offense with two hits, one double and one walk.

Shaver drew two walks, was hit by one pitch, scored one run and stole one base, Drake doubled, had one RBI and walked once. Joslin Briles had the other hit, RaeAnn Duinink walked and Hudnut, Paige Steenhoek and Addi Hudnut all scored one run.

Parsons, who is just an eighth-grader, was superb in her first career start. She earned her first career win after surrendering one earned run and four hits with six strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.

“Reese had a huge two-run home run to put us up for good,” Coach Hudnut said. “Rylee pitched really well in her first varsity start. After giving up two hits in the first inning, she only gave up two hits the rest of the way.”

Greene County (8-11, 4-7) collected four hits in the loss. Both teams committed three errors.

PCM 12, Perry 2, 6 innings

PERRY — In the first meeting between PCM and Perry, the Bluejays scored nearly half of their runs in the first two frames and went on to win by that margin.

In the latest HOIC matchup, it was the Mustangs’ fast start that propelled them to a road victory and a split of the season series.

PCM scored seven runs in the third frame to go up 8-0 and then used a four-run sixth put the game away early during the Mustangs’ 12-2 triumph.

“It was a great win tonight,” Coach Hudnut said. “We were able to get a little payback from our earlier meeting. We really felt we let that one slip away from us and the girls came out tonight and proved it.”

Belle Hudnut registered five hits and finished with two runs, one RBI and one stolen base.

In the first, Belle Hudnut and Duinink each doubled to put PCM on the board 1-0.

In the seven-run third, Duinink doubled again and then scored on Drake’s RBI single. An RBI double by Palm scored Drake and Addison Steenhoek’s two-run double plated Palm and Briles, who reached on a walk.

Belle Hudnut’s RBI bunt single scored Addison Steenhoek, Johannes’ RBI sacrifice bunt scored Shaver and Duinink’s RBI single plated Belle Hudnut to cap the scoring.

Johannes opened the four-run sixth with a home run. Briles’ two-run double scored Duinink and Paige Steenhoek, who reached on a walk and a double, respectively.

The final run was scored by Briles on Addison Steenhoek’s RBI single.

“We hit the ball hard all night with 16 total hits, including seven doubles and a home run,” Coach Hudnut said. “We are playing some great ball right now and we want to keep getting better.”

Parsons (2-0) made another start and got another win after allowing two earned runs on four hits. She struck out seven and the defense made zero errors.

“Rylee pitched a great game and our defense made plays behind her,” Coach Hudnut said.

Perry (10-10, 5-6) got on the board with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings but could not avoid the 10-run mercy rule.

Duinink had three hits, including two doubles, and finished with two runs, two RBIs, one walk and one steal and Addison Steenhoek had two hits, one double, one run and three RBIs.

Shaver, Johannes, Drake, Briles, Palm and Paige Steenhoek had the other hits.

Johannes homered and had two RBIs, Shaver added one run, one walk and one hit by pitch and Drake chipped in one hit, one run, one RBI and one walk.

Briles doubled, scored two runs, had two RBIs and walked once, Palm doubled, scored one run and had one RBI and Paige Steenhoek doubled and scored one run.

Eliana Buswell also stole one base as a courtesy runner.

PCM 14, Baxter 3, 6 innings

BAXTER — Another big offensive night propelled PCM to a six-inning win over Baxter on Thursday.

The Mustangs collected 16 hits and used a pair of three-run innings to grab an early lead and then put the game away with a seven-run sixth during a 14-3 non-conference road victory.

“It was a good finish to a great week for us,” Coach Hudnut said. “Belle stopped some early momentum for Baxter, robbing (Mandee) Selover of a home run. (Briles) had a huge home run in the third to give us some separation, too.”

PCM plated one run in the first after Johannes singled and then scored on an error following a bunt by Duinink.

In the second, Shaver’s bases-loaded, two-run single and Belle Hudnut’s RBI single put the Mustangs in front 4-0.

Briles belted a three-run home run to left field in the third after singles by Duinink and Paige Steenhoek.

The Mustangs took advantage of several Baxter (4-14) errors in the sixth.

Johannes also had a two-run double, Duinink collected an RBI single and Drake’s run-scoring triple added to the lead.

The rest of the runs in the sixth came off RBI singles from Paige Steenhoek and Shaver and from another Baxter miscue in the field.

“We were finally able to put a big inning together in the top of the sixth to close out the game,” Coach Hudnut said.

Johannes finished with three hits, two doubles, one run and two RBIs. Shaver, Duinink, Palm, Paige Steenhoek and Belle Hudnut all had two hits.

Shaver scored one run and tallied three RBIs, Duinink scored two runs, had two RBIs and stole one base, Belle Hudnut registered one run, one RBI and two steals and Paige Steenhoek tallied two runs and one RBI.

Palm scored one run and stole two bases, Drake tripled, scored one run and had one RBI and Briles homered, scored two runs and had three RBIs.

Addison Steenhoek scored one run, walked once and stole one base, Addi Hudnut scored one run as a pinch runner and Skylar Burns scored one run as a courtesy runner.

Schendel (9-3) started in the circle and got the win after allowing three runs — two earned — on five hits and struck out two in four innings.

Parsons pitched the final two innings and surrendered no runs and one hit. She struck out two and walked one.

Baxter scored one run in the second and two in the fourth. Lilie Vansice had two of the team’s six hits and Allison Colyn homered. Emie Tuhn had one hit, one run and one walk.