Good learning week for GHV girls softball team

It was a good learning week for the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura softball team.
 “This was a good stepping stone week for us,” said Coach Christi Weiser. “We started the week with a great conference win over a young, but improving West Hancock team and then played competitive games against tough competition the rest of the week.”

GHV 16, West Hancock 7
 It was a good night for a road game for the Cardinals, as they pounded West Hancock, 16-7, on Monday, June 2.
 GHV opened strong, scoring three runs in the first inning.  The Eagles held them scoreless for the next three innings, but the Cardinals erupted in the fifth, scoring eight runs for a score of 11-5.  The Cards collected one run in the sixth and had another strong inning in the seventh, collecting four runs for the final 16-7.
 GHV’s bats were hot.  The Cardinals had 18 hits.  Mallory Van Oort had an excellent night on offense, collecting four singles, scoring three runs and bringing in four RBIs.  Tiara Van Gerpen and Miranda Jackson had three hits apiece, while Maddie Tusha and Mackenzie Van Gerpen had two hits apiece.  One of Mackenzie’s hits was a double.  Payton Bamrick, Brooklyn Ossman, Grace Tusha and Autumn Weaver had one hit apiece.
 Tiara Van Gerpen scored the most runs for the Cardinals, getting across home plate four times.  Maddie Tusha had three runs.  Brooklyn Laird scored two runs.  Mackenzie Van Gerpen, Weaver, Grace Tusha, Jackson and Betshaida Larson each scored one run.
 Scoring two RBIs apiece were Maddie Tusha, Tiara Van Gerpen, Grace Tusha and Weaver.
 “Offensively, we are starting to understand how to have a good approach and we are having more quality at-bats and giving ourselves an opportunity to be aggressive on the bases, which our kids love to do,” said Coach Christi Weiser.
 Ossman was the winning pitcher.  She had six strikeouts, gave up six hits and walked three.

Mason City 6, GHV 5
 The Cardinals dropped a close 6-5 game to Mason City on Wednesday, June 4.
 The game looked a little lopsided early, when the Mohawks jumped to a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.  The Cardinals came alive in the fifth, scoring three runs.  GHV scored one more time in the seventh for the final score.
 “The one run losses sting, because you feel that you could have won, but credit goes to Mason City for making a couple of big plays that gave them the win,” said Coach Christi Weiser.
 Pitching duties were split between Brooklyn Ossman, Sydney Childress and Jillian Heitland.  Each pitcher had one strike-out.
 Maddie Tusha and Mallory Van Oort led the offense.  Tusha had two hits, one being a double, and an RBI.  Van Oort hit a double and brought in three runs.  Tiara Van Gerpen hit two singles.
 Tusha scored two runs for the Cards, while Van Gerpen, Autumn Weaver and Brooklyn Laird each scored one.

Newman 9, GHV 1
 On Friday, June 6, the Cardinals faced a tough Newman Catholic team. The Knights won the contest, 9-1.
 A strong third inning for the Knights, where they scored seven runs, sealed that team’s victory. GHV scored in the third inning when Maddie Tusha was knocked in by Mallory Van Oort.
 “This game was a much better game than the score indicates,” said Coach Christi Weiser.
 The Cardinals collected six hits, to the Knights’ 10.
 Van Oort had two singles, while Maddie Tusha, Brooklyn Ossman, Grace Tusha and Autumn Weaver each had one single.
 Maddie Tusha led the team with three stolen bases.
 Ossman took the loss on the mound for the Cardinals. She had one strike-out, walked one, and gave up 10 hits.
 Newman’s pitcher, Becca Huberty, threw a great game, striking out 12, walking three and giving up six hits.

Lake Mills Tournament
 The Cardinals traveled to Lake Mills on Saturday, June 7, for a tournament. GHV fell to both Northwood-Kensett and Central Springs.
 “We played competitive games against tough competition,” said Coach Christi Weiser. “Central Springs is one of the top 2A teams for a reason and they had a great pitching performance against us.”
 Behind the Panther’s pitching sensation Alexis Korte, the Cardinals only managed one hit in the 10-0 shut-out. Korte struck-out 12 batters and walked none.
 Sydney Childress took the loss for the Cardinals. She struck-out one and walked seven.
 Mallory Van Oort was the lone Cardinal to get a hit off Korte.
 The game against Northwood-Kensett was much closer and ended in an international tie breaker in the sixth inning, with the Vikings scoring the winning run for the 10-9 victory.
 Brooklyn Ossman pitched the entire game for the Cardinals. She had two strike-outs, walked two and gave up 10 hits.
 Mallory Van Oort was the leader on offense, picking up three hits and two RBIs. She also scored one run.
 Collecting one hit apiece were Maddie Tusha, Tiara Van Gerpen, Payton Bamrick, Grace Tusha, Autumn Weaver and Brooklyn Laird.
 Tiara Van Gerpen led the team in stolen bases with three and she also scored two runs. Bamrick, Mackenzie Van Gerpen, Autumn Weaver and Laird scored the remaining runs.
 “We need to continue to get better on defense, but these kids work so hard that it’s just a matter of time until that part clicks,” said Weiser.