by Scott Watson
The Clear Lake softball team (7-9) had four games last week, going 2-2 in the span. The Lions started the week with games against Algona and Mason City for a 1-1 record.
CL 9, Algona 8
The Lions softball team (6-7) played the Algona Bulldogs (5-5) on Monday, June 12, pulling off a close 9-8 victory after 11 innings.
Momentum swung like a pendulum for the first seven innings, with both teams taking turns building a lead only for it to be relinquished. The Lions held a three-point lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Bulldogs got the runs to keep the game going.
Three scoreless innings went by until the 11th, when Clear Lake exploded for four runs. The Bulldogs put up three, but this time, the Lions staved off the comeback to win the game.
Both teams tallied 12 hits in the game, with Clear Lake taking nine singles, two doubles, a home run, and nine RBIs. The Lions had nine errors.
Every player in the starting line up got a hit. Taylor Schwenn had a stellar game, going two-for-three with a single and a home run, three RBIs, and three walks. Alivia Paine went one-for-three with a single and was walked three times.
Alaina Hartl went two-for-six with two singles and one RBI. Camryn Allsbrook went two-for-five with two singles and one RBI. Jezzie Thompson, Makella Jacobs, and Taylor Schwenn all had stolen bases.
Defensively, the Lions totaled nine errors with Thompson pitching 213 times. She faced 55 batters, allowed 13 hits, four earned runs, and six walks.
MC 10, CL 0
The Lions (6-8), played the Mason City Riverhawks (7-9) on Tuesday, June 13, dropping the game 10-0.
The game was kept scoreless after the first inning, but the Riverhawks put up three runs in the second and never looked back, winning in six innings.
The Lions struggled to get on base, totaling two hits in the game, one for a single and one a double. They took one walk and stole four bases.
Annika Nelson had one hit for a double and Madi Ott hit a single. Makella Jacobs took her base on a walk.
Defensively, the Lions had no errors.
Alivia Paine took the loss, pitching 76 times for nine hits, three walks, and one strikeout.
Charles City 7, CL 4
The Lions softball team (7-9) hosted the Charles City Comets (9-10) on Thursday, June 15, losing the game by a score of 7-4.
The Comets were relentless with their scoring, getting a run in every inning but two, while scoring three in the second inning. The Lions scored two runs in the second, but were unable to keep up with the pressure.
Clear Lake had eight hits on the day, five for singles, two for doubles, and one for a home run. They had an uncharacteristic six errors in the game and were only walked once.
Makella Jacobs was walked once and went two-for-three from the plate with two runs — one going for a single and another for a home run. Taylor Schwenn was one-for-four, scoring one run on a single. Alivia Paine and Avery Puttman also scored a run. Paine scored her run on a hit for a double, and Puttman scored as a pinch runner.
Jezzie Thompson gets the win for the Lions at 99 pitches against 35 batters for six hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.
