Baxter softball has tough week on the diamond
Jun. 26—BAXTER — It won't get much more difficult than what Baxter's softball team faced last week on the diamond.
The Bolts played two top-10 ranked teams in Class 1A, another squad which is now 19-4 and a PCM team which is playing its best ball of the summer right now.
Three of the four losses came at home. The week included a 14-3, six-inning loss to PCM and that was the closest contest the Bolts were in. Baxter also was defeated twice at the North Mahaska tournament on Saturday.
The Mustangs led 7-0 after three innings in their non-conference game against Baxter on Thursday and then ended the game early with a seven-run sixth. The Bolts (4-16) were limited to six hits and they committed 12 errors.
Lilie Vansice led the offense with two hits and Allison Colyn hit a solo home run.
Emie Tuhn registered one hit, one run and one walk, Mandee Selover doubled and Karlee Koehler singled. Selover had a home run taken away from her by PCM center fielder Belle Hudnut in the first inning.
In the circle, Kinley Beathards pitched all six innings and took the loss after allowing 14 runs — one earned — on 10 hits. She walked one.
The Bolts scored one run in the second and two in the fourth. PCM (13-9) finished with 16 hits and two errors.
West Central Valley 14, Baxter 2, 3 innings
BAXTER — West Central Valley broke open a 1-all game with an eight-run second and a five-run third during a 14-2, three-inning non-conference road victory on Tuesday.
The Wildcats had 14 hits in the win and committed two errors. Baxter had as many errors (6) as it had hits (6).
The Bolts scored one run in the first and one run in the third.
Vansice led the offense with two hits, two runs and one steal, Selover had one hit, two RBIs and one steal and Ally Padget added one hit and one steal. Lydia Pierce and Koehler had the other hits.
Pierce started in the circle and took the loss. She allowed nine runs — one earned — on six hits and walked three in two innings.
Beathards pitched the third inning and surrendered five earned runs on six hits and walked one.
Kamryn Nourse homered, doubled, scored two runs and had three RBIs to lead West Central Valley (19-4).
Clarksville 12, Baxter 0, 4 innings
CLARKSVILLE — The Bolts were no hit for the second time in three days. Class 1A No. 9 Clarksville had nine hits at the plate and took advantage of eight Baxter errors during a 12-0, four-inning home win in Iowa Star Conference cross-division action.
The Indians scored two runs in the first, three in the second, six in the third and one in the fourth to end the game early.
Beathards took the loss in the circle after allowing 12 runs — two earned — on 10 hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Sierra Vance's perfect game in the circle included seven strikeouts. Claire Lodge led the Indians (14-0) at the plate with two hits, two runs and two RBIs.
Collins-Maxwell 12, Baxter 0, 3 innings
BAXTER — Erica Houge tossed a perfect game for the Spartans as 1A No. 4 Collins-Maxwell used an eight-run second to dispatch the Bolts 12-0 in three innings during an Iowa Star Conference South Division matchup on Monday.
The Spartans had nine hits and the Bolts (3-3 in conference play) committed four errors.
Houge's perfect game included five strikeouts. Avery Fricke led the Spartans (18-2 overall, 12-0 in the conference) with three hits, two runs and two RBIs.
Klaire Shanks started in the circle and took the loss after allowing 12 runs — 11 earned — on nine hits. She struck out two, walked eight and hit one.
Beathards pitched one inning and allowed no runs and no hits.
