No. 10-ranked Mustangs edge Indians

Jason Wilcox - Sentinel Sports Writer
ARMSTRONG — Armstrong-Ringsted’s Amy Leach and Spirit Lake’s Mary Brown matched each other virtually pitch-for-pitch the first three innings of softball action Tuesday night.

Then the Mustangs’ offense turned two singles and three Indian errors into a three-run fourth frame as the Class 1A, No. 10-ranked home team ended up scoring a 5-3 nonconference win over Spirit Lake in Armstrong.

Leach ended up with 14 strikeouts while only walking one batter in seven innings of work. She allowed three runs on five hits.

Brown matched her counterpart in hits, while allowing the five runs. She struck out five and walked two in six frames.

“Pitching was definitely key and Amy pitched very well against a (Class) 3A team,” said Mustang head coach Hilary Menke.

Spirit Lake did grab the early lead in the first inning as leadoff batter Alli Gerking turned the first pitch of the game into a well-cranked triple to right. Originally, Gerking was thrown out at third base, but a called obstruction play on the Mustang shortstop placed the runner back at the bag.

Kaisha Brown then hit a ground ball back to second base for the out that scored Gerking for the 1-0 Spirit Lake advantage.

The Mustangs did knot the score in the home half of the frame.

Morgan Grabinoski singled to center with one out and wheeled to second when April Gunderson reached base on an error.

Rosie Cheever, who led the Mustangs with two hits, chalked up her first one with a run-scoring double down the third base line.

“We connected tonight - even hits that went to people were good, solid hits,” said Menke.

Neither team was able to get much offense going until the fourth inning.

Leach may have spurned the momentum from a defensive standpoint by striking out the Spirit Lake lineup in order, all swinging, in the top of the fourth frame.

Cheever then singled to right to open the fourth inning and went to second on the play via a throwing error. Logan Evans then beat out a bunt single, but another throwing miscue allowed Cheever to score and Evans to advance to second.

A third straight error allowed Bri Gonzales to reach base and Evans to go to third. Evans and Gonzales eventually both crossed home plate on wild pitches for a 4-1 Mustang lead.

Spirit Lake also found their hitting prowess late in the game as Kaisha Brown reached on a leadoff infield single in the sixth frame and stole second.

Then cleanup batter Megan Ingvall took a Leach pitch over the fence in right field for a two-run blast, cutting the Mustang lead to one run at 4-3.

But in the bottom half of the frame, the Mustangs tacked on an insurance run as Evans drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on Megan Sanders’ sacrifice fly to center.

Leach then put a quiet end to the game in the seventh via two strikeouts and a flyout.

Cheever led the Mustangs with two hits, while Lisa Pelzer, Morgan Grabinoski and Evans each had one.

Ingvall was 2-for-3 for Spirit Lake, while Gerking and Kaisha Brown added the other singles.

Armstrong-Ringsted (12-2, 6-1) plays host to Clay Central-Everly today in Armstrong. Spirit Lake (9-10) plays host to Estherville-Lincoln Central today.

SL 100 002 0 – 3 5 4

AR 100 301 x – 5 5 0

Mary Brown (LP) and Caila Jones. Amy Leach (WP) and Megan Sanders.

LOB–S. Lake 3, A-R 3. 2B–Rosie Cheever (AR), Lisa Pelzer (AR). 3B–Alli Gerking (SL). HR–Megan Ingvall (SL). SF–Megan Sanders (AR).