Blazers extinguished 6-1, 11-10 in season opener
SOLON — The Solon Lady Spartans opened their 2025 campaign with a sweep of Dyersville Beckman Tuesday, May 27, in Solon.
Pitching and defense led the way in game one as sophomore Emerson Miller tossed a complete game three-hitter en route to a 6-1 win.
Sophomore Keegan Kleppe had four hits and pair of RBIs out of the lead-off spot and Miller reached base with a pair of singles and a walk. The second single put the game away scoring two runs and putting the Lady Spartan up 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Freshman Liv Nelson scored a run and added a pair of hits. The second, a double, left a permanent dent at the top of the left center field fence as she missed a homer by two feet. Miller struck out seven and walked one, much to the delight of head coach Brad Holub who enters 2025 with an inexperienced pitching staff of five pitchers that totaled 48 varsity innings last season.
Game two provided all the drama game one lacked as freshman pitcher Beckitt Kabela notched her first varsity win in a 11-10 battle.
The Blazers managed an unearned run the top of the first, but the Lady Spartans took the lead as Kleppe scored on a passed ball after senior all-stater Addie Miller tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Blazers added a run the top of the second, but again Solon responded with a series of walks and a trick play on the bases baiting the Blazers into a throw attempting to get Kleppe. The play produced a pair of runs to give Solon the lead.
Sophomore Laeni Hinkle added a run scoring sacrifice fly and senior all-stater Izzy Freese smacked an RBI double before Nelson capped the rally with a two RBI single making it an 8-2 Solon advantage after three innings.
Before Solon’s fans could celebrate though, Dyersville sparked a rally to score 5 runs in the 4th. Three singles, a pair of walks and a double made it a ball game as the Lady Spartans held an 8-7 lead, but again the offense came to life. Emerson Miller and Nelson scored on a single by junior Dillon Ostrander and an error by the Blazers in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Blazers wouldn’t go away scoring two with a walk and a pair of singles to close to 10-9 in the top of the fifth.
After Solon failed to score in the bottom of the 5th, Kabela re-entered the game after tossing the first three innings and gave the Lady Spartans a much needed one-two-three top of the 6th. She then smacked a double in the bottom of the inning to score Ostrander putting Solon up 11-9.
The Blazers scratched a run across in the 7th with a one out double, but Kabela stranded the runner to give the Lady Spartans a nail biting 11-10 victory. She threw 5 innings total, allowing 3 runs (2 earned).
“I knew pitching would be a wild card, at least early in the season,” Holub said. “I was very happy with Emerson’s performance and Beckitt gave a nice account of herself with her first varsity action.” The wins gave Holub his first 2-0 start in 4 seasons at Solon and keeps the Lady Spartans focused on repeating last year’s state tournament qualifying effort.
Mustangs sweep Solon 10-6, 9-8
The Solon Lady Spartans took on Highway One rival Mount Vernon in a spirited matchup at Solon Thursday, May 29. Mount Vernon took both games 10-6 and 9-8, but the scrappy Spartans pushed the fourth-ranked Mustangs to the last inning in each game.
Freshman Beckitt Kabela took the circle in game one facing 2024 first-team all-stater and WaMaC East player of the year Hayden Gookin in an “on paper” mismatch in game one. The Mustangs plated two runs in the first with a homer and an RBI single, but Solon answered as sophomore Keegan Kleppe rapped a two-run single in the second inning. Mount Vernon erupted for three more runs in the top of the third but Kabela knocked in two runs in the bottom half of the inning cutting the Mustang lead to one.
Kabela then settled in, allowing one run over the next three innings before Solon tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Kleppe’s third hit of the game and sophomore Laeni Hinkle’s single set up a two-run double from senior Addie Miller.
Mount Vernon again gained the upper hand in the seventh with a pair of infield hits and a run scoring single prompting head coach Brad Holub to reach into the bullpen for sophomore Emerson Miller. Miller got the final three outs but not before Mount Vernon had plated four runs en route to the 10-6 win. Kabela, Miller and Kleppe each tallied two RBIs with Kabela rapping a pair of base hits.
Game two started in similar fashion as the Mustangs used a Gookin home run on the game’s first pitch and a couple of Solon miscues to take a 3-0 lead off Miller. Senior Izzy Freese scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half, but Mount Vernon scored three more on a triple and a fielder’s choice appearing to make the game a possible rout. However, just as in game one Solon’s young pitcher found her groove tossing three scoreless innings.
Solon plated three in the bottom of the third. Hinkle’s double was followed by Addie Miller being plunked by a pitch. Sister Emerson Miller then doubled to score two and freshman Liv Nelson’s hit scored Miller making the score 6-4.
The game stayed that way until the Mustangs rallied in the sixth. An RBI groundout was followed by an Abbie Moss two-run homer and hopes looked bleak after Solon failed to score in the bottom half. Miller fought back to post a last scoreless frame and the young Spartans rallied again. Emerson Miller and Nelson each singled before Junior Dillon Ostrander walked to load the bases.
Gookin entered to pitch the Mustangs out their jam, but Solon plated a run on a wild pitch. The Mustang pitcher induced two infield pop ups however and Solon was down to their last out. Kleppe then hit a hard ground ball to the Mount Vernon shortstop who picked it clean and the game appeared to be over, but the throw sailed into foul territory while two Lady Spartans scored. Hinkle then doubled to draw Solon within one. The Mustangs would field the next groundout however and seal the game. Though the coaches, fans and players left disappointed, Kabela said the team is just scratching the surface.
“It’s nerve wracking playing Mount Vernon but it will make us better and we will be ready if we face them again (in the playoffs).”
With four freshman and four sophomores seeing substantial playing time this week the Lady Spartans are young but talented said head coach Holub.
“With so many young players making contributions we expect some growing pain early, but all the players are coachable and taking instruction well,” he said. “We’ll be a much different, seasoned team by mid to late June.”