Chris Umscheid
Sophomore Emerson Miller delivers a pitch as CPU’s Mya Hillers leads off Wednesday, June 25 during game one of a varsity doubleheader in Solon. The Lady Spartans split with the Stormin’ Pointers, dropping game one 4-1 and coming back for a 6-5 win in the nightcap.
SOLON — The Solon softball team posted a 3-3 record last week in six home games. The Lady Spartans kicked off the week with a WaMaC split versus Center Point-Urbana. Solon’s offense sputtered in game one losing 4-1 despite a nice pitching effort from Emerson Miller. The sophomore tossed all seven innings, allowing three earned runs, striking out a personal best seven while walking three batters. Fellow sophomore Keegan Kleppe managed two infield singles posting Solon’s only hits in the game.
Game two started in the same fashion with Solon’s offense going hitless for four innings while CPU tallied a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings off starting pitcher Laeni Hinkle to lead 4-0. However, a CPU error and Liv Nelson RBI single gave the Lady Spartans life in the bottom of the 5th inning. Sophomore Addie Walter followed with a double and junior Dillon Ostrander drew a walk to load the bases. Freshman Beckitt Kabela then delivered an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2 before the rally fizzled..
Hinkle posted a shutdown inning in the sixth but allowed a fifth Pointer run in the top of the seventh as the Lady Spartan hopes appeared to be on life support with the bottom of the order coming up. But just as they did in the fifth inning, Walter (single) and Kabela (double) rallied the troops. A sharp grounder by Kleppe scored two runs when the throw went past the Pointers’ first baseman. Hinkle followed with a single to put the winning run on base. An RBI groundout by senior Izzy Frees tied the game and Solon took the victory when the next pitch trickled to the backstop allowing Hinkle to score on the wild pitch and pick up her fourth pitching win of the season.
Solon returned to action Friday morning in the Clipper Classic against 4A 4th-rated Carlisle. The Spartans dropped a 10-0 decision as the Wildcats knocked out freshman pitcher Beckitt Kabela in the second inning. Kleppe, Hinkle, Kabela and Senior Addie Miller each had hits for the Lady Spartans.
Game two on Friday was the same score with Solon on the winning end versus Keokuk. Sophomore Zoey Melloy picked up her second win tossing all four innings.
Hinkle had two hits and scored three runs, while freshman Riya Farlinger had a pair of hits including her first varsity home run.
Saturday produced yet another split as Solon started the day with a 5-4 decision over Fairfield. Hinkle picked up her fifth win going five innings. Miller sisters Addie and Emerson supplied the bulk of the offense each connecting for a pair of hits and an RBI, with Ostrander knocking in a pair of runs on a hit and a walk. The Spartans led throughout, but Fairfield plated a pair of runs in the last inning before Hinkle stranded the tying and go ahead runners to end the game.
Solon stepped up into 5A competition for the third time this season in the nightcap losing a 5-1 decision to 12th-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie. Emerson Miller took the loss pushing her record to 5-6 on the season. Hinkle and Kleppe each had a pair of hits in the game with Walter smacking a double and Nelson tallying the team’s six hits.
Solon entered this week 16-12 and plays today at 11:00 a.m. in Van Horne resuming a game from last week in the fifth inning with Solon leading Benton 7-4. A second game will follow. Saturday’s tilt versus Anamosa has been cancelled as the teams will instead kick off regional play July 10 in Solon (7:00 p.m.). A Solon win would likely set up a rematch with Mt Vernon July 12.
Postseason begins next week
Class 3A Region 3 postseason play begins Thursday, July 10, as Solon will host Anamosa in a quarterfinals game. Mount Vernon will take on Union Community with CPU hosting Hampton-Dumont and Clear Lake playing Forrest City in the bottom half of the bracket. Winners will meet Saturday, July 12, at 7:00 p.m. at Mount Vernon and CPU with the Regional Championship, and a spot in the 2025 3A State Tournament in Fort Dodge on the line, Tuesday, July 15 at the highest remaining ranked team’s site at 7:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon was ranked third in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s June 26 rankings with CPU in the No. 15 spot.
The 2025 State Tournament is set for Monday, July 21 – Friday, July 25, at Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.
Tickets for regionals and State must be purchased online at www.gobound.com/ia/ighsau/softball/2024-25/tickets.