Eagle softball team looking better as postseason nears

With the start of the regional tournament drawing ever closer, the Eagle Grove softball team is starting to find their groove in playing better ball the past few games. They have won two of their last four, and are finding a bit more offensive production even in the losses.

Last Monday, June 24, they lost a tight 9-8 home makeup game with Northwood-Kensett. The Eagles took a 4-0 lead into the fourth, as Hannah Beecher walked to open the first followed by Cali Schultz doing the same. Jozey Gump was hit by a pitch, followed by Kenzie Crail bringing in a run as Schultz and Gump also both scored. However, the Vikings crossed with three of their own in their half to offset that production. They would come back to match that in the bottom of the inning, then allowed the visitors five runs in their half of the next. While the purple & gold only managed two total hits, they made the most of what the Vikings gave them. Laine Morgan ripped a two-run double in the fourth in her only connection, while Hannah Beecher had a base hit, an RBI and three runs scored. Kenzie Crail also drove in a run. Cali Schultz and Lea Friedl both crossed the dish twice, with Jozey Gump coming home once. H. Beecher, Schultz and Friedl all had two steals each, while Hannah showed patience in drawing three walks. Friedl got two free passes, with Schultz, Morgan and Gump all taking one apiece.

Hannah was tagged with the loss in the circle, allowing only four earned runs on five hits with six walks and two K’s. Alexa Jeske allowed one earned on one hit with a strikeout. “We were up 4-0 after two and then couldn’t do anymore,” stated head coach Jim McLaughlin. “They had the bases loaded but two outs in the top of the fourth and end up getting three runs in. They got the lead after the fifth, and we got a run back but it was just not quite enough.”

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