GMG defeats Baxter softball in preview of postseason matcup

GARWIN — The Baxter softball team committed only one error against GMG on Friday, but the Bolts fell behind early and the Wolverines scored a plethora of runs late during a 9-3 road loss.

The Bolts tied the game at 3-all after a three-run top of the fifth inning, but GMG plated three in the bottom half of the frame to go back in front and put away its visitors with three more in the sixth of the Iowa Star Conference South Division contest.

Baxter (1-18, 1-13 in the conference) was out-hit 11-5, and the Wolverines committed two errors.

Mallory Bottorff and Blaire Jutting each had one hit, one run and one RBI to lead the offense, while Hannah Huffaker collected one hit and one RBI.

Madison Jochems doubled, Lillian Grunstead tallied the other hit and Klaire Shanks scored one run and stole one base.

Avery Wonders (1-8) took the pitching loss after allowing six earned runs on 11 hits and one walk in five innings. She struck out three.

Jochems pitched the final frame and surrendered three earned runs on four walks.

Skyler Murty led GMG (10-8, 8-7) with four hits and four RBIs and Addison Elmore collected two hits, three runs, one home run and two RBIs.

Riah Boege (11-7) earned the pitching win after allowing three earned runs and striking out 15 in seven innings.

GMG claimed its fifth straight win over the Bolts. The two teams will play again in Garwin to open the postseason on July 7.

Weather affected a pair of games last week, too. The Bolts’ conference road game against North Tama was suspended on June 23 and their non-conference contest at North Mahaska on June 24 was canceled due to heavy rain and storms.

BCLUW 14, Baxter 2

BAXTER — The Comets scored first, added on in the second and put the Bolts away with a nine-run seventh during a 14-2 road win over Baxter on Wednesday.

The Bolts scored once in the first and once in the fifth but was out-hit 23-7 in the Iowa Star Conference South Division matchup. Both teams committed one error.

Emileigh Beals led the Bolts with two hits, two runs, two steals and one walk and Huffaker collected two hits.

Grunstead contributed one hit and one RBI, Jutting and Caydence Sulzle each totaled one hit and Bottorff walked once.

Wonders took the pitching loss after allowing 12 earned runs on 23 hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings.

Jutting got one out in the circle but not before surrendering two earned runs on two hits, one walk and one hit batter. She fanned one.

Grace Farnsworth led BCLUW (17-6, 12-2) with four hits, three runs and two RBIs and Morgan Bergman added four hits and three RBIs.

Klayre Gallentine spun all seven innings in the circle and allowed one earned run with nine strikeouts.

The Comets are 10-0 against Baxter since 2007. They won 16-0 at home earlier this season to start the season sweep.