Spring Grove/Caledonia’s Libby Augedahl catches a pop-fly for the final out against Chatfield last week, as second baseman Amber Ideker moves in to assist.              Photo by Lee Epps

 

By Tom Murphy
For the Caledonia Argus

The Spring Grove/Caledonia softball team pounded two opponents on Monday and Tuesday of last week in “miserable” weather, according to coach Michelle Anderson.

The decisive wins proved to Anderson’s team it could play in adverse weather and showed a defense that could make this team’s record improve.

SG/C 14 M-C 1

On Monday, the Lions pounded Mabel-Canton 14-1 behind the three hit pitching of Cassie Gran.  Gran led the team with a home run that keyed an eight run third inning.  She scored twice and had four RBI’s.  Also contributing to the barrage was Jenna Schmitz who hit a home run in her first at bat as a starter on the varsity.    Catcher Theresa Ellenz had three RBI’s.

Anderson noted that every SG/C player who batted either had a hit or scored a run in the offensive bonanza.  “We had contributions from everyone,” she summarized.

Of equal note was her team’s concentration on a cold day.  “We came to play and we stayed focused despite the weather.”

Beat Chatfield in slugfest

The Lions travelled to Chatfield the following Tuesday and won a 12-6 slugfest behind the pitching of Gran.  If Monday’s weather was bad, Tuesday’s weather was worse as the entire game was played in a drizzle, Coach Anderson recalled.  “They were wiping the softball off throughout the entire game.”

Both teams had 12 hits, but it was the defense of SG/C that made the difference.  “We took them out of three innings when they had runners in scoring position,” Anderson said.

In the first inning, Chatfield had a shaky start with fielding miscues and the Warriors capitalized for 10 runs.  “When they came out hitting in the bottom half of the inning, we concentrated on not giving up bunches of runs.”

Then in the bottom of the second, the Warriors executed what was to be the first of two pick-off combinations of Theresa Ellenz catching to Aly Meyer  at first base.  “They had runners in scoring positions both times and ended the third and fifth innings with that same play,” Anderson noted.

In the sixth, Jenna Schmitz caught a fly ball on the run and gunned down at Chatfield base runner to record a double play.  Again, it ended an inning.

“This early in the season, it really builds our confidence to have defensive plays like that,” the coach pointed out.

This week

The Lions hosted Houston in Caledonia on Tuesday.  Then, they travel to Hope Lutheran in Winona on Thursday.  Hope Lutheran and Houston are expected to be two of the contenders for the conference title. 

The Huricanes are coming off a big victory over Hope Lutheran last week.

On Saturday, the Lions travel to La Crosse to play La Crosse Aquinas and Onalaska Luther.  “It really gives us a way to measure our strengths without it being conference games.

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