Solon 10 Anamosa 0
The Lady Spartans hammered Anamosa’s Blue Raiders last Monday (July 1) on Alumni and Youth Softball Night with four runs in the bottom of the first inning, one in the second, and five in the fourth. Junior Izzy Frees led at the plate with three hits including a pair of doubles and four RBIs on the night. Junior Addie Miller and senior Kendall Jensen both knocked a two-RBI homer with a two-RBI single for freshman Emerson Miller and a single and a sacrifice for freshman Laeni Hinkle. Jensen pitched all five innings giving up three hits, walking two, and striking out five.
Solon upsets SE Polk 7-6
Ottumwa’s two-day varsity tournament opened with a win for the unranked (in Class 3A) Lady Spartans over No. 10-ranked (Class 5A) Southeast Polk. Both teams plated one runner in the first inning before Solon put up four runs in the second. The Rams chopped Solon’s lead with two runs in the third, but the Lady Spartans gave themselves a little breathing room with two in the top of the fourth. That lead quickly evaporated as the Rams plated three in the bottom of the inning.
Laeni Hinkle and Izzy Frees produced two hits each with a double for Frees. Freshman Keegan Kleppe, Emerson Miller, freshman Avery Babbitt, junior Zoey Grimm, and senior Kayla Meseck had one hit each with three RBIs for Miller and one for Grimm. Addie Miller drove in two runs as well. Grimm took the win after 3-2/3 innings giving up four hits and five runs (two earned) and walking two. Emerson Miller pitched 1-1/3 innings giving up two hits and one earned run with one walk.
Sigourney savages Solon 3-1
The No. 6-ranked (in Class 1A) Sigourney Savages broke through Solon’s defense in the bottom of the sixth inning for the win. Three scoreless innings were broken in the top of the fourth when Addie Miller drove in Izzy Frees. Frees led Solon with a pair of singles while Laeni Hinkle, Miller, and senior Bailey Woolley had one single each. Zoey Grimm was charged with the loss after 2-2/3 innings giving up three hits and three runs (two earned), walking one and striking out one. Emerson Miller worked the circle for three innings giving up one hit, no runs, walking three and striking out two.
Bulldogs bite the Lady Spartans 8-4
The Ottumwa Bulldogs, unranked in Class 5A, bit Solon with five runs in the bottom of the second inning and added one in the third and two in the fourth. Solon plated one runner in the top of the second and attempted to rally with three runs in the fifth. Keegan Kleppe, Laeni Hinkle, Izzy Frees, Addie Miller (a double), Emerson Miller, and Bailey Woolley had one hit each with an RBI for Frees, Miller and Miller, and Avery Babbitt. Zoey Grimm took the loss giving up 11 hits and eight earned runs, walking two and striking out two.
Knights strike down Solon 6-0
Assumption Catholic’s (Davenport) Knights, ranked No. 5 in 3A, scored two runs in the top of the first inning and four in the fifth while holding the Lady Spartans scoreless in Solon’s final game of the Ottumwa tourney. Izzy Frees had Solon’s only hit, a double, while sophomore Dillon Ostrander and freshmen Addison Walter and Layla Knazze drew walks. Emerson Miller was charged with the loss after four innings giving up five hits and six runs (five earned), walking four and striking out two. Laeni Hinkle pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up one hit and walking one.
Postseason play opens tonight
Solon (15-23 as of Sunday, July 7) will host 10-26 Vinton-Shellsburg tonight (Thursday, July 11) at 7:00 p.m. after the final game of the regular season Monday, July 8 at Cedar Rapids Jefferson (after this edition’s deadline). Mount Vernon (29-10) and Union Community (4-19), CPU (12-18) and Monticello (11-19), and West Liberty (20-9) and Anamosa (8-18) will also square off in the first round. The semifinal game is set for Saturday, July 13 at West Liberty High School at 7:00 p.m. with the Regional Championship scheduled for Tuesday, July 16 at the highest remaining ranked team’s site.
As of Sunday, July 7 Mount Vernon was ranked fourth in Class 3A and West Liberty was No. 11.
Eight teams will ultimately advance to the Iowa Girls High School State Softball Tournament, Monday, July 22-Friday, July 26, at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.
Tickets are only available online from https://tickets.gobound.com/tickets/events/h2024062702553993091d908989a2rrf/checkout and are $6.00 each (plus processing fees). Tickets for the Saturday semifinal and Tuesday final will also be for sale at gobound.com.
WaMaC East Standings (July 7)
Conf. Overall
Mt. Vernon 17-7 29-10
Marion 14-8 18-14
Solon 12-10 15-23
W. Delaware 9-13 15-20
CPU 9-13 12-18
Independence 8-14 20-18
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Gallery • 5 Photos

Becky Holub, Special to the Solon Economist

Izzy Frees (15) beats the ball to the dish Friday, July 5 during day one of Ottumwa’s varsity tournament.