L-S softball sneaks past Tri-County, dominates Keota in SICL play

THORNBURG — A fast start and a strong finish helped the Lynnville-Sully softball team to a conference win over Tri-County on Wednesday.

The Hawks registered three crooked numbers in the first three innings but needed another one in the seventh to put away the Trojans during a 15-11 road win in South Iowa Cedar League action.

Tri-County used a six-run sixth to get back into the game, but a three-run seventh by the Hawks kept their hosts at arm’s length.

“We are trying to just get games that we can control in our favor,” L-S head softball coach Ben Conover said. “We are a young team doing some things differently and we pulled up seven eighth-graders. It’s just a matter of getting confidence and experience under their belts.”

L-S out-hit Tri-County 17-10 but also committed seven errors.

Greenlee Smock and Alexy Conover each had four hits to lead the offense, while Morgan Jones, Makayla Tice and Peyton Sharp added two hits apiece.

Smock tripled, scored four runs, registered three RBIs and stole two bases and Conover added three RBIs and one walk.

Smock leads the Hawks with a batting average of .446 and has a team-best 15 runs. Conover is batting .412 and is tied with Smock with 32 total bases.

Sharp scored two runs, stole one base and had one RBI, Tice doubled and added two RBIs and Jones scored two runs and tallied one RBI.

Kate Harthoorn, Jakiera Hay and Alaina Roberts all had one hit. Harthoorn walked three times, scored two runs and stole one base, Roberts scored two runs, stole one base and was hit by one pitch and Hay chipped in one RBI and was hit by one pitch.

Abby Squires walked twice and had one RBI, Brilynn Tice and Olivia Norrish each added one run and one steal, Addison Collum scored one run and Ava Brummel walked once. The Hawks stole seven bases in the win.

Conover (4-10) earned the win in the circle after allowing 11 runs — five earned — on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. She walked five and struck out one.

Jolan Fogle earned the save after recording a clean sheet in 1 2/3 innings.

The Hawks (4-13 overall, 4-6 in the SICL) led 3-1 after one inning and plated two in the second and five in the third. Tri-County (7-6, 7-4) scored two in the third and fourth and also committed five errors.

Delanie Little had two hits, homered, scored two runs and added three RBIs to lead Tri-County. Ayla Hall had two triples, scored two runs and finished with two RBIs.

Lynnville-Sully 12, Keota 0, four innings

SULLY — A homer at the plate and a one-hitter in the circle from Conover led Lynnville-Sully to a conference win over Keota on Monday.

The Hawks scored twice in each of the first two innings and then plated eight in the fourth to walk off the Eagles and claim a four-inning victory.

Conover hit a two-run homer and walked twice to lead the Hawks at the dish and her one-hitter in the circle also featured four strikeouts and one walk.

Smock registered three hits, one double, three runs, three RBIs and one walk and Squires added one hit, one run, three RBIs and one walk. Makayla Tice and Brummel each walked twice, Sharp was hit by two pitches and Makayla Tice, Sharp, Harthoorn, Roberts, Collum, Jones and Brilynn Tice all scored one run and Harthoorn and Hay both walked once.

Hay collected one hit, Roberts drove in one run and Collum stole two bases.

Keota (0-11, 0-11) has scored only eight runs in 11 games this summer.

West Marshall 8, Lynnville-Sully 5

SULLY — The Hawks couldn’t recover from a slow start and a four-run second inning led visiting West Marshall to an 8-5 win during a non-conference game on Tuesday.

The Trojans won the game despite being out-hit 10-5 and committing three of the game’s four errors.

Lynnville-Sully rallied with a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh, but it wasn’t enough.

Squires homered, doubled twice, scored two runs and had two RBIs to lead the offense.

After a slow start to the season, Squires is now batting .386 and has a team-best 16 RBIs.

“Abby is getting better at seeing the ball, and we need to keep going in the right direction,” Coach Conover said. “Our lower half of the lineup needs to pick it up a little bit and if we can do that, I think we’ll be good to go.”

Makayla Tice added two hits, one run, one RBI and one walk and Smock, Conover, Sharp, Harthoorn and Norrish all had one hit. It was the first career hit for Norrish.

Harthoorn tallied one run and one walk, Norrish scored one run and Sharp and Hay added one RBI.

Conover pitched all seven innings in the circle and took the loss after surrendering eight runs — seven earned — on six hits. She struck out three, walked seven and hit one batter.

Ciera Randall homered, walked twice and had two RBIs to lead West Marshall (9-9) and Riley Randall also drove in two runs.

Taylor Thomas got the pitching win after allowing four earned runs and striking out four in seven innings.

Iowa Valley 10, Lynnville-Sully 9, eight innings

MARENGO — The Hawks had eight more hits and committed two fewer errors but still lost to Iowa Valley during an SICL contest on June 9.

The game was tied at 3-all after three innings, but a four-run fourth helped Iowa Valley grab momentum and the Tigers outscored the Hawks 2-1 in extra innings.

Iowa Valley was out-hit 14-6 and won the game 10-9 despite committing eight errors. L-S made six errors.

“It wasn’t a good defensive performance,” Coach Conover said. “Errors have plagued us at times, but I attribute that to our youth. It is what it is.”

Conover and Squires had three hits to lead the L-S offense and Smock and Sharp each had two hits.

Conover laced two doubles and had three RBIs, Squires doubled, scored one run, had two RBIs and stole one base, Smock scored two runs and swiped two bags and Sharp scored two runs and had one steal.

Hay, Roberts, Brummel and Makayla Tice all had one hit. Makayla Tice scored two runs and had one RBI, Hay doubled and had one RBI, Roberts contributed one RBI, Collum and Penelope Robinson each scored one run and Brooke Hardeman stole one base.

Conover allowed 10 runs — two earned — on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. She took the loss despite striking out six and walking only two.

Izzy Kriegel had two hits, Ella Read scored two runs and stole two bases and Dakota Pedersen scored three runs to lead Iowa Valley.

Lydia Kriegel surrendered just one earned run in the circle and she earned the pitching win after striking out seven in eight innings.

Hawks fall twice at home tournament

SULLY — Prior to their home tournament on June 10, the Hawks were shut out on the scoreboard in three of their previous four games.

L-S lost another game by shutout to open the tournament but plated five runs against Des Moines Christian during a 13-5 loss.

Class 3A No. 11 Albia handed the Hawks a 10-0, five-inning loss earlier in the day.

“We have good games and we have bad games,” Coach Conover said. “It’s been a roller-coaster season. But as long as they are learning something and having fun, the wins and losses I don’t care about.”

The matchup with Des Moines Christian also went five innings because of time limit.

Both teams scored two runs in the first inning, but the Lions went in front for good with a six-run second and a four-run third. The Hawks’ other three runs came in the top of the third.

Makayla Tice singled with one out and eventually scored on Harthoorn’s RBI ground out. Squires doubled and scored on a wild pitch. Sharp and Hay both walked with two outs and Roberts singled to load the bases. The Hawks scored their third run when Sharp scored on a wild pitch. L-S left the bases loaded though.

The Lions out-hit the Hawks 9-8 and Lynnville-Sully had one error.

Squires led the offense with two hits, one double, one run, one walk and one steal and Conover added two hits and one walk.

Makayla Tice, Roberts, Smock and Sharp had the other hits. Sharp added one run, two walks and two steals, Makayla Tice and Smock scored one run and Roberts and Makayla Tice stole one base.

Harthoorn chipped in two RBIs, Hay walked once and stole one base, Brummel walked once and Collum scored one run.

“We hit the ball harder today. Sometimes it went right at them,” Coach Conover said. “It was good to see we can hit for power and our small ball is working somewhat. They just have to put it together and keep working.”

Conover started in the circle and took the loss after allowing five runs — four earned — on five hits in two innings. She walked four and hit one batter.

Kaylee DeWitt allowed eight runs — seven earned — on three hits, five walks and two hit batters in 2 2/3 innings.

Katie Quick led Des Moines Christian (9-7) with two hits, three runs and two RBIs and she picked up the pitching win. Lauren Schmaltz added two hits and five RBIs and Kaleigh Friend tallied two hits and four runs.

Albia (12-4) used a four-run first to gain an advantage over L-S and then put away the Hawks with a three-run third and a three-run fourth to win 10-0.

Lynnville-Sully was out-hit 12-6 and the Hawks were plagued by three errors.

Smock led the offense with two hits and Makayla Tice, Harthoorn, Hay and Squires all had one hit.

Fogle (0-2) started in the circle for the Hawks and took the loss after allowing seven runs — four earned — on five hits and one walk in 2 2/3 innings.

Conover pitched 2 1/3 innings and she surrendered three earned runs on five hits with four walks, one hit batter and two strikeouts.

Ashley Beary led the Lady Demons with two hits, a home run, two runs and two RBIs and Sydney Hoskins collected three hits and two runs.

Addison Halstead earned the pitching win after allowing no runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.

Saydel 12, Lynnville-Sully 0, four innings

SULLY — Dakota Lake had two hits and two RBIs at the plate and spun a perfect game in the circle during Saydel’s 12-0, four-inning win over the Hawks on June 8.

Class 3A No. 7 Saydel (12-3) led 1-0 after one inning and then scored five runs in the second and six in the fourth to close out the win early. The Hawks were plagued by two errors.

Lake’s perfect game featured eight strikeouts. Lucy Peak homered and added four RBIs at the dish.

Conover took the loss in the circle after allowing 10 runs — nine earned — on 11 hits with four walks and one strikeout in three innings.

Fogle tossed the fourth inning and allowed one hit and hit one batter.

English Valleys 8, Lynnville-Sully 0

SULLY — A four-run first inning and a three-hitter from Kennedy Axmear led English Valleys to an 8-0 road win over the Hawks on June 7.

The Hawks were out-hit 11-3 and they committed three errors.

Smock, Conover and Makayla Tice had the hits. Tice doubled, Smock, Collum and Jaelynn Smith all stole one base and Squires was hit by a pitch.

Conover pitched all seven innings, took the loss and allowed eight runs — seven earned — on 11 hits. She struck out six, walked three and hit one batter.

Imigyn Stratton led English Valleys (10-5, 8-3) with three hits, three runs and two RBIs. Axmear’s complete-game win included eight strikeouts.