L-S softball splits two at home tournament

SULLY — Defensive miscues have been hit and miss this season for the Lynnville-Sully softball team.

When the Hawks field the ball successfully with regularity, the end results are positive. When they struggle with errors, the losses pile up.

On Saturday, during its home tournament, L-S won the game that featured two miscues and lost when there were seven errors committed.

“The errors are hit and miss. It’s way better than last year though,” L-S head softball coach Ben Conover said. “We had some untimely errors in that first game and got ourselves in a hole. It was hard to come back from.”

The Hawks opened their tournament with an 11-5 loss to Moravia but bounced back to win the final game of the day. L-S rallied from an early hole to down Des Moines Christian 11-9.

In the win over the Lions, the Hawks had just three hits but drew 14 walks and took advantage of four Des Moines Christian errors.

Lynnville-Sully scored first in the second game. Alexy Conover led off the game with a single and Alaina Roberts drew a walk with one out. Two runs were scored after Ava Brummel and Jakiera Hay both reached on errors.

The Lions (4-9) trimmed their margin to one in the bottom of the first but took the lead with seven runs in the second. Des Moines Christian sent 11 batters to the plate and scored the seven runs on three hits, three walks and a hit batter.

L-S got back into the game with a three-run third. Hay and Sophia Squires both walked with two outs and Kate Harthoorn’s RBI single made it 8-3. After Morgan Jones walked, Olivia Norrish brought the Hawks closer with a two-run single.

The squad took the lead for good in the fourth. The Hawks scored six runs thanks to six walks and two errors.

L-S batted around in the frame. Peyton Sharp led off the inning with a walk and then Brummel reached on an error. Roberts, Hay, Squires, Harthoorn and Jones all walked, while Norrish reached on an error. Brummel drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to score the Hawks’ final run of the game. The walks from Squires and Jones also came with the bases loaded.

“Walks are as good as a hit. That’s just being disciplined and waiting for our pitch,” Coach Conover said. “We are not completely there yet with that, but it’s been better. We knew where our zone was today, and we made them pitch to us.”

The Lions closed the gap to 11-9 in the fifth, but it was too little, too late. The game ended when Jolan Fogle got Taylor Hawes to pop out to Alexy Conover at third.

Before that, Brummel scooped up a throw in the dirt to first base with runners on base and one out.

Harthoorn finished with one hit, two walks, two runs and one RBI, Squires walked twice, scored two runs and had one RBI and Norrish added one hit, one walk and two RBIs.

Brummel walked once, scored two runs and had one RBI, Roberts walked twice and scored one run and Hay drew three walks.

Brummel is tied with Alexy Conover for the team lead with nine RBIs and is tied with Hay with a team-most seven walks. Roberts has a scored a team-high 13 runs.

Jones walked twice and had one RBI, Addison Collum drew two walks, Sharp walked once and had one run and Alexy Conover finished with one hit and one run.

Fogle (2-2) earned the pitching win after allowing nine runs — five earned — on seven hits, four walks and one hit batter in five innings.

Both games at the tournament ended after five innings due to the 90-minute time limit.

“It was a good effort. It’s what happens when you don’t have a bunch of errors,” Coach Conover about the win over Des Moines Christian. “We are starting to get the timely hits and playing better defense. We are just putting the ball in play when we need to.”

Moravia (7-11) scored four runs in each of the first two frames in the tournament’s opening game and L-S never recovered. The Mohawks out-hit the Hawks 12-7 and took advantage of seven L-S errors.

Hay and Brummel led the Hawks with two hits and Alexy Conover, Harthoorn and Roberts had the other hits.

L-S trailed 8-2 after three but cut the margin to four after a pair of runs in the fourth. Moravia pulled away for good with a three-run fifth.

Brummel was hit by a pitch, had one RBI and stole one base, Hay walked once and had one RBI and Harthoorn doubled, had one RBI and stole one base.

Roberts scored one run and had one steal, Jones walked twice, scored one run and had one RBI and Norrish walked once and scored once.

Brilynn Tice scored one run and stole two bases, Collum stole one base and scored one run, Squires had one steal and Fogle was hit by a pitch. Collum leads the Hawks with seven stolen bases.

Alexy Conover (2-9) tossed five innings in the circle and took the loss after allowing 11 runs — three earned — on 12 hits and two walks. She struck out three.

“We got a win Friday, got this one today and we have the opportunity to get three more next week if we play right,” Coach Conover said. “It’s a good confidence booster for Jolan. It helps her keep a positive attitude. She’s got a good feel for things. Our bats were running, and we made up for the early deficit.

Lynnville-Sully 5, Iowa Valley 4

SULLY — A come-from-behind win by the Hawks on Friday snapped a seven-game conference losing streak.

Lynnville-Sully rallied from an early hole, used a three-run fifth to force extra innings and downed Iowa Valley 5-4 in eight during a South Iowa Cedar League contest.

Alexy Conover and Brummel led the Hawks (4-11, 2-7 in the SICL) with two hits, one double and one RBI each and Sharp tallied two hits, one run and one steal.

Jones chipped in one hit, two runs, one RBI and one steal and Hay, Roberts and Squires had the other hits. The Hawks out-hit the Tigers 10-7.

Squires added an RBI, Harthoorn scored one run, tallied one RBI and stole one base and Collum scored one run and stole two bases.

Brummel ended the week with a team-best batting average of .386 and a team-high on-base percentage of .481. She’s tied with Alexy Conover in both hits and doubles with 17 and four, respectively.

Conover pitched five innings and allowed four runs — one earned — on five hits and one walk and she struck out four.

Fogle earned her first career varsity win after tossing three innings and allowing no runs on two hits and one walk.

Lydia Kriegel and Maeci Marshall each had two hits and one run to lead Iowa Valley (6-6, 2-5), while Dakota Pedersen took the pitching loss despite surrendering two earned runs and striking out three in six innings.

English Valleys 10, Lynnville-Sully 6

NORTH ENGLISH — Alexy Conover belted two homers, but the Hawks couldn’t hold a three-run lead during a 10-6 road loss to English Valleys on Wednesday.

Lynnville-Sully led 3-0 in the fifth, but the Bears scored six in the fifth and four in the sixth to rally. The Hawks plated three in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.

The Hawks out-hit their hosts 12-10 and both teams committed one error.

Alexy Conover and Hay each had three hits, while Sharp and Brummel tallied two hits.

Conover clubbed two solo homers and walked once, Hay laced two doubles and had two RBIs and Sharp doubled, scored one run and had one RBI.

Brummel walked once and scored one run, Norrish had one hit and one RBI and Squires tallied one hit and one run. Collum also scored a run.

Alexy Conover took the pitching loss after allowing 10 runs — five earned — on nine hits and six walks in 5 2/3 innings. She struck out four.

Fogle got the final out on a strikeout but allowed one hit and one walk.

Kennedy Axmear led English Valleys (8-2, 6-2) with a homer and three RBIs. She also got the pitching win after allowing four earned runs in seven innings.

Sigourney 15, Lynnville-Sully 0

SULLY — Carly Goodwin homered at the plate and spun a no-hitter in the circle during Sigourney’s 15-0 win over the Hawks on June 3.

The Class 1A No. 2 Savages scored 11 runs in the first and ended the game early with a four-run fifth.

Alexy Conover’s walk and Tice’s stolen base were Goodwin’s only blemishes in the circle. She struck out 13 and had three hits, three RBIs and two runs at the plate.

Josephine Moore and Erin Dawson also homered for Sigourney, which is now 9-4 and 7-1 in the SICL.

Fogle took the loss in the circle. She allowed 11 runs — seven earned — on five hits and two walks and she struck out one in 2/3 of an inning.

Alexy Conover toss the final 4 1/3 innings and surrendered four runs — three earned — on four hits and four walks and she struck out four.

West Marshall 7, Lynnville-Sully 1

STATE CENTER — The Hawks were limited to four hits and committed two errors during a 7-1 non-conference loss to 3A No. 15 West Marshall on Tuesday.

The Trojans led 2-0 after three but plated five in the fourth to pull away. L-S scored its run in the sixth.

Jones had two of the team’s four hits and scored one run. Alexy Conover had one hit and was hit by one pitch, Sharp doubled and had one RBI and Hay and Brummel both walked once.

Alexy Conover took the loss in the circle after surrendering seven runs — five earned — on 11 hits and six walks in six innings. She struck out three.

Lillian Fischer, Josie deNeui and Lily Zahnd all had two hits for the Trojans (11-2) and Taylor Thomas spun a four-hitter in the circle and struck out six.

Lynnville-Sully 14, Baxter 1

SULLY — Sharp clubbed her first career varsity homer, Harthoorn had three hits and Conover spun a three-hitter in the circle during the Hawks’ 14-1 non-conference home win over Baxter on May 30.

The Hawks scored five in the first, three in the third and six in the fourth to end the game early.

Harthoorn finished with three hits, two runs, two RBIs and one stolen base and Sharp added two hits, two runs, one home run and three RBIs and she was hit by a pitch and Norrish tallied two hits, two runs and one steal.

Alexy Conover, Jones, Brummel, Squires and Fogle all had one hit. Conover tallied two RBIs and walked once, Jones scored two runs and was hit by a pitch and Brummel doubled and had two RBIs.

Squires walked once, scored one run and stole two bases, Fogle doubled and had two RBIs and Hay added one run, one RBI and one steal.

Roberts was hit by a pitch, scored two runs and tallied one RBI and Tice scored two runs.

Conover earned the win in the circle after surrendering one earned run on three hits and one walk in four innings. She struck out two.

Baxter (0-9) was plagued by seven errors. The Bolts scored their run in the third.

L-S loses twice at Pleasantville tournament

PLEASANTVILLE — The Hawks fell behind early and never recovered against Twin Cedars and lost an early lead to the host Trojans during the Pleasantville tournament on June 1.

The Hawks led 3-1 after the first against Pleasantville but did not score again during a 5-3 loss and Twin Cedars used a five-run first to down L-S 10-1.

Pleasantville out-hit the Hawks 9-7 and took advantage of four L-S errors. The Hawks also committed eight errors against Twin Cedars and were limited to one hit.

Both games went six innings due to time limit.

The Hawks’ seven hits came from seven different players. Alexy Conover, Sharp, Roberts and Jones all doubled, Conover and Sharp had one RBI each and Sharp and Roberts both scored one run.

Harthoorn, Brummel and Squires had the other hits, Tice scored one run and Squires contributed one RBI.

Conover took the pitching loss after allowing five runs — two earned — on seven hits and four walks in six innings. She struck out one.

Danika Park led Pleasantville (10-4) with two hits, one run and one RBI and Faith Nelson walked twice and scored one run.

Terriyah Carter tripled and scored the team’s lone run in the loss to Twin Cedars. Sharp also drew a walk, but the Hawks struck out 12 times at the plate.

Fogle pitched all six innings and surrendered 10 runs — four earned — on eight hits and two walks. She struck out two.

Kenzie Roberts finished with two hits and two runs for Twin Cedars (8-4) and Jillian French and Amy Mockenhaupt had two hits and two RBIs each. French also was the winning pitcher and finished with 12 strikeouts in six innings.