Softball team tops Clarion-Goldfield for first conference win

The Clear Lake girls picked up two wins last week, including their first North Central Conference victory.  The team is now 5-13 overall and 1-7 in the NCC.
    “We may not have won them all but we did many things right and improved in a lot of ways,” said Coach Nicki Petersburg.  “In all it was a positive week for us and it bodes well for the future.”

Humboldt 14, CL 6
Humboldt 7, CL 6
    Clear Lake put the pressure on Humboldt by pounding out 13 hits in game one of a varsity doubleheader.  Hannah Bartlett, Taylor Diehl and Ryan Pierce had three hits apiece in the contest.  Diehl was credited with two RBI, as was Kaitlyn Pitzen. 
    Diehl was the losing pitcher. She gave up 13 hits and walked four. The senior hurler struck out two.
    “The score didn’t reflect it, however we battled and played hard,” said Coach Petersburg.  “Humboldt just had a lot of hits with runners on.  Offensively we did a great job of putting the ball in play and running the bases.”
    In game two, the Lions played with heart and emotion and gave Humboldt a good scare. 
    “I was very proud of our entire performance, especially Sara Barlow’s night on the mound,” added the coach.  “It was a heart-breaking loss, losing in the bottom of the seventh, but we’ll battle again.”
    Humboldt had seven hits off Barlow, a sophomore.  She walked four and struck out one.
    Diehl again had a good night at the plate, with two hits and an RBI.  Emma Schiller also had two hits and an RBI. 

H-D 10, CL 0
    It was all Hampton-Dumont, as the Bulldogs rolled to a 10-0 shutout over the Lions Tuesday, June 14.  
    “They had a great hitting night and we let their pitcher control us at the plate and just couldn’t get any momentum,” said Coach Petersburg.
    The Lions had just four hits and committed eight errors.  Taylor Diehl was the losing pitcher. Other statistics were not available.
    
CL 13, C-G 7
    The Lions posted their first NCC win of the season Wednesday, June 15, at Clarion, 13-7.  Clear Lake jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first inning, then withstood a surge from the Cowgirls. 
    “It proved to be a battle of a game, but I was happy with our determination not to quit,” said Coach Petersburg.  “We had some key errors and Clarion had several hits, but we came out on top.”
    The Lions’ seniors sparked the offense, providing 11 of the team’s 16 hits.  Rachel Kopriva paced the team with four hits and scored three runs.  Rea Faber and Emma Schiller each had three hits and Taylor Diehl one.  Faber stole five bases in the game, putting herself in position to score three runs for the team. 
    Annie Snyder and Hannah Bartlett each had two hits and scored a run.  Bartlett also had a stolen base, as did Kopriva.
    Diehl was the winning pitcher.  She struck out one and walked one.  The Cowgirls had 14 hits.

IFA 11, CL 4
    The Lions defeated themselves in a tough loss to Iowa Falls-Alden Friday, June 17.
    “We had some good hits, particularly Emma Schiller’s double to start the fifth inning, but not enough to cancel our- Read More Via e-Edition