Theresa Ellenz (at right)lays down a nice bunt for the Lions.
                                       Photo by Charlie Warner

By Tom Murphy
Special to the Argus

The Spring Grove/Caledonia softball team humbled Hope Lutheran 10-0 and sewed up at least a tie for the conference title last week.  With a game on Monday of this week at Houston and possibly another game with Lyle Pacelli, the worst would be a tie for the title. 

There were a lot of anxious people going into last Thursday’s game with Hope Lutheran.  Unbeaten in the conference, the  Lions had a two game edge in the conference standings over Hope and Houston.  But, Hope had one of the best pitchers the Lions would face this year. It was to be C/SG’s Cassie Gran who came out on top in the match-up. 

Gran held Hope Lutheran to two hits and her team played perfect defense in the shutout.  Theresa Ellenz gave Gran all she needed with a first inning home run.  Aly Meyer was two for four with a triple in the fifth inning and Jenna Schmitz was perfect in two trips to the plate. 

“It was a great game and we came ready to hit,” said coach Shelly Anderson.  She said, “We proved to ourselves that we can hit great pitching.”  The Lions connected for eight hits off Hope’s ace pitcher, Felicia Meyer.  Meyer issued three walks while Gran did not allow a runner a pass.   “We served notice in the first inning with three runs,” Anderson said.

Lions continue winning ways with sweep over Goodhue 

 Spring Grove/Caledonia’s Lions opened last week with a sweep of a doubleheader at Goodhue.

After a somewhat rocky start in a 6-1 first game victory, the team pounded Goodhue 11-1 in the nightcap.

Cassie Gran pitched both victories.

In the first game, the Lions committed four errors in four different innings.  The miscues were not compounded by any other events as the squad was able to get out of every inning but one without allowing a run.   Still, Amber Ideker turned in a double play flipping to Aly Meyer to catch a runner off of first base to complete a double play.  

Maria Betz was the leading hitter with a two for four night including a double and three RBI’s.  Other hits were by Libby Augedahl, Miranda Lager, Meyer, Sarah Wild and Ideker.

It was a strong second game for the team, as Gran limited Goodhue to four hits and her team played errorless defense.  Anderson liked the aggressive base running of her squad which forced Goodhue into poor throws allowing the Lions to move up an extra base.  Ideker was part of another double play when she forced out a runner at second when Gran fielded a shallow fly behind the mound and tossed the ball to Ideker.

Goodhue surprised Gran with a home run in the first inning.  But the Lions’ bats were hot again.  Meyer and Gran had three hits while Betz and Miranda Lager each had two hits.  

Comments (0)