Baxter softball sweeps Colo-NESCO after narrow win

BAXTER — The Bolts scored first and last during a narrow win over Colo-NESCO on Monday.

The Baxter softball team snapped a 15-game skid against the rival Royals during a 9-8 home win in Iowa Star Conference action.

The Bolts led 2-0 after two innings and built a lead as large as 8-2 before scoring the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.

Baxter out-hit Colo-NESCO 6-5, and the Royals committed three of the game’s five errors. The win gave the Bolts (2-21, 2-14 in the conference) a season sweep of the Royals.

Lillian Grunstead totaled two hits, one double, two runs and one steal and Mallory Bottorff chipped in two hits, two runs, two RBIs, one walk and four stolen bases to lead the Bolts.

Savannah Frasher tallied one hit, one run, two RBIs and one steal, Hannah Huffaker doubled, scored one run and walked once and Caydence Sulzle walked three times, scored one run and stole five bases.

Blaire Jutting had one RBI and two steals, Madison Jochems walked and had one steal, Emileigh Beals stole two bases and Klaire Shanks and Myah Johnston scored one run.

The Bolts (16) and Royals (15) combined for 31 stolen bases.

Jutting was the winning pitcher after tossing 5 1/3 innings and allowing seven runs — six earned — on three hits, four walks and two hit batters with six strikeouts.

Shanks tossed 1 1/3 innings and surrendered no runs and no hits and she hit one batter and struck one batter out.

Jochems got one out in the circle. But not before allowing one earned run on two walks.

Molly Angell led Colo-NESCO (4-21, 1-15) with one hit, two runs, two walks and six steals.

Ogden 14, Baxter 0

OGDEN — A slow start plagued the Bolts against Ogden on Tuesday. The Bulldogs scored seven runs in the first, and Baxter didn’t collect a hit at the plate during a 14-0 loss in non-conference action.

Grunstead and Frasher both walked at the plate and Grunstead took the loss in the circle.

She allowed five earned runs on two hits and three walks in 1/3 of an inning. Shanks gave up nine earned runs on seven hits, four walks and one hit batter with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings.

Ogden (20-11) improved its lead to 11-0 after two and finished the game early with a three-run third. It was the Bulldogs’ third straight win against Baxter.

Harleigh Janssen finished with two hits and four RBIs, Breanna Wenger added two hits, two runs and three RBIs and Adi Banks collected two walks and three runs to lead the Bulldogs.

Ankeny Christian Academy 21, Baxter 1

BAXTER — Katie Quick hit two homers and spun a four-hitter in the circle during Ankeny Christian Academy’s 21-1 non-conference win over the Bolts on Wednesday.

The Class 1A No. 11 Eagles (15-2) scored seven in the first and nine in the fourth to end the game early.

Baxter was out-hit 10-4, and the Bolts committed just one error. Sulzle doubled and Beals, Jochems and Grunstead had the other hits.

Sulzle scored one run and Beals totaled one RBI.

Jutting (1-2) took the pitching loss and Grunstead and Shanks also pitched. They combined for 14 walks.

Quick finished with three hits, two homers, three runs and four RBIs to lead the ACA offense and she struck out eight and allowed one earned run on four hits in the circle.