The Solon Lady Spartans split a pair of WaMaC games with Independence in Solon Monday, June 1, winning 7-2 before falling 6-4 in the nightcap.
Solon led wire to wire in game one after getting three runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Emerson Miller led off with a single and junior Laeni Hinkle was hit by a pitch. Independence got an out before freshman Chloe Madura got Solon on the board with a single. A wild pitch scored another run and sophomore Beckitt Kabela capped the inning with a sacrifice fly putting Solon up 3-0.
Three Solon sophomores extended the lead to 5-0 in the third when Liv Nelson homered, Beckitt Kruse doubled and Riya Farlinger singled up the middle to score Kruse. Nelson singled in another run in the 4th and a Mustang wild pitch gave Solon a 7-1 cushion.
Miller stayed in control throughout and pitched around eight Mustang hits, giving up only a solo homer in the fourth and an RBI groundout in the sixth. Independence loaded the bases with three singles in the 7th, but Miller calmly induced a pop up to end the game and run her record to 3-1.
Stats
Hits – Liv Nelson 2, Chloe Madura 2, Emerson Miller 1, Beckett Kruse 1, Riya Farlinger 1, Dillon Ostrander 1
2B – Kruse
HR – Nelson
RBI – Nelson 2, Madura 1, Kabela 1, Farlinger 1
Pitching – Miller (W) 7 innings, 80 pitches, 8 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Junior Zoey Melloy took the circle in game two and waited patiently for the Solon offense to get in gear while throwing up three goose eggs to start the game. In the bottom of the third Hinkle singled and Kabela’s two-out single plated the first run of the game. The next two runs came much quicker when Kruse blasted her second home run of the year giving the Lady Spartans a 3-0 lead. Solon added a run in the fourth when Melloy singled, Nelson walked, and Hinkle added an RBI hit.
The Lady Mustangs finally got on the board in the fifth when Melloy walked two batters and hit another to load the bases. A two-out single made the score 4-2. Solon went quietly in the bottom half, and Kabela took the circle to start the sixth. Indee rallied again starting the inning with a single and double. Kabela got a strikeout and induced a slow roller but a Solon error on the play brought in a run and left runners on first and third. Another single tied the score, and Miller was called on to put out the fire. She got an out, but another hit gave Indee a 5-4 lead and a passed ball added another run. Solon could not score again and ran their record to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Stats
Hits – Laeni Hinkle 2, Dillon Ostrander 2, Beckitt Kabela 1, Beckett Kruse 1, Layla Knazze 1, Zoey Melloy 1
HR – Kruse
RBI – Kruse 2, Emerson Miller 1, Kabela 1
Pitching – Kabela (L) 1/3 innings, 18 pitches, 4 hits, 4 runs (1 earned), 1 strikeout. Melloy 5 innings, 73 pitches, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts. Miller 1-2/3 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 strikeouts
Lady Spartans and Vikettes split 4-5 and 10-1
VINTON — The Spartans travelled to Vinton-Shellsburg Wednesday June 3, nearly sweeping the Vikettes but instead settling for a split losing 5-4 and winning 10-1 in 6 innings.
Game one started as a pitching duel with junior Zoey Melloy matching zeros with Vinton freshman Harper Hrubes for the first four innings. Solon broke through first with a pair of runs in the fifth. Sophomore Beckitt Kruse reached on a single and sophomore Riya Farlinger laid down a sacrifice bunt that the Vikettes misplayed putting two Solon runners on. Kruse then scored on a passed ball and courtesy runner Kinley Strief (8th grade) scored on senior Dillon Ostrander’s single.
Vinton rallied in the sixth inning when Melloy allowed a pair of singles to open the inning, she then induced a groundout and pop out but couldn’t get the third out as another pair of singles plated three Vikette runs for a 3-2 lead. Solon wasn’t done yet and rallied in the seventh. Farlinger singled and Strief scored again on another Ostrander hit. Sophomore Liv Nelson added another RBI single, and the Lady Spartans held a 4-3 lead with three outs to go.
Emerson Miller replaced Melloy and Vinton rallied again. A pair of singles and a double sandwiched a Miller strikeout tying the game and another single ended it 5-4 as the Lady Spartans endured a third gut punch loss within a six day stretch.
Stats
Hits – Liv Nelson 2, Dillon Ostrander 2, Layla Knazze 2, Emerson Miller 1, Beckett Kruse 1, Riya Farlinger 1
2B – Knazze
RBI – Ostrander 2, Nelson 1
Pitching – Miller (L) 1/3 innings, 18 pitches, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 strikeout. Melloy 6 innings, 83 pitches, 7 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Solon refused to lay down and dominated the second game. Junior Laeni Hinkle made her first pitching start of the year and the Lady Spartan bats responded. Hinkle went the full six innings allowing a run on six hits, striking out seven, and walking two. Solon’s offense was led by Nelson’s three hits (five total in the DH), Ostrander’s third and fourth hits on the day and 8th grader Ashlynn Swancutt’s pair of singles. Miller added a pair of RBIs for Solon as well. Solon put their record back above .500 with a 5-4 overall mark and 2-4 WaMaC record.
Stats
Hits – Liv Nelson 3, Dillon Ostrander 2, Ashton Swancutt 2, Laeni Hinkle 1, Emerson Miller 1, Beckett Kruse 1, Zoey Melloy 1
2B – Nelson 1, Kruse 1
RBI – Miller 2, Nelson 1, Knazze 1, Hinkle 1, Kruse 1, Ostrander 1, Swancutt 1, Melloy 1
Pitching – Hinkle (W) 6 innings, 89 pitches, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Pirates and weather win at Alburnett
The Lady Spartans travelled to Alburnett Thursday, June 4, losing 9-1 before being rained out early in game two. Eighth grader Kinley Strief drove in Dillon Ostrander in the top of the fourth and led with two hits. The loss evened Solon’s record at 5-5.
Solon was scheduled to host Marion Monday, June 8, and travel to South Tama Wednesday, June 10. They return home Monday, June 15, to play WaMaC rival Williamsburg at 5 p.m.
Stats
Hits – Kinley Strief 2, Layla Knazze 1, Beckett Kruse 1, Dillon Ostrander 1
RBI – Strief 1
Pitching – Emerson Miller (L) 3-1/3 innings, 64 pitches, 8 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 3 walks, 3 strikeouts. Beckitt Kabela 1-1/3 innings, 30 pitches, two hits 2 unearned runs, one strikeout