The Clear Lake Lion girls are off to a hot start.Boasting a 4-2 record after putting in work last week with big wins over North Central Conference teams Iowa Falls-Alden and Humboldt, while also finding a big win over Riceville after a tournament cancellation.
Clear Lake 8
Iowa Falls-Alden 5
Last week, May 29, the Lions traveled to Iowa Falls to face the Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets in a North Central Conference match-up that saw the Lions take an 8-5 victory for their second win of the season.
The first inning was a strong one for the Lions, scoring three runs to put pressure on the Cadets out of the gate.
Iowa Falls-Alden answered back with one run of their own, but the defense behind Lion pitcher Jezzie Thompson was stout and held off the Cadet bats.
It wouldn’t be until the top of the fourth that another run was scored, again by the Lions with three more as the bats found rhythm.
Iowa Falls was able to score two, keeping the game somewhat close at 6-3, in favor of the visiting Clear Lake squad.
Adding a bit of insurance late in the sixth, the Lions scored two more while allowing the Cadets one.
Leading 8-4, the Lion defense had to hold off the Cadets in the bottom of the seventh inning, which they were able to do, allowing only one run to take the conference victory.
“This was a great way to start off our conference season with a big road win against a good Iowa Falls team,” said head Lion coach Seth Thompson. “Any time you can get three runs on the board in the first inning, it helps relax your pitcher and defense and although we had a couple tense spots throughout the game on defense, I thought we did a great job of bending but not breaking.”
Clear Lake’s freshman catcher Taylor Schwenn and sophomore designated hitter Taylor Bedford were able to load the bases and put the Lions in good position to score. Schwenn recorded one run off two hits in three at bats and was walked once. Bedford had one hit in four at bats with two RBI.
Scorings runs for the Lions was Thompson with two and Makyla Johnson with two, Alivia Paine, Camryn Allsbrook and Madi Ott each had one run.
Thompson was in the circle for the Lions and pitched a complete inning, allowing five runs on six hits, walking six and striking out 10.
Clear Lake 5
Humboldt 0
The Lions were back on the field Friday, May 31, at home against another NCC foe in the Humboldt Wildcats.
Coming off a strong win, the Lions were able to blank the Wildcats to improve to 3-2 on the season.
Starting off with a first inning run, the Lions were off to a good start. They had the best inning at the bottom of the third where they put three runners across home plate and added the fifth in the fourth.
It was a fairly clean game on the Wildcats part with two errors, while the Lions committed four.
The errors didn’t stop the defense from putting up 21 putouts on 29 total chances with four assists.
Thompson was a menace in the circle allowing only three hits and striking out seven batters on her way to receiving the win.
In the box, the Lions saw five runs on five hits with five RBI.
Thompson, Paine, Bedford, Ott and Alaina Hartl each had hits, while Paine, Schwenn and Ott each had one RBI and Bedford recorded two.
Thompson had two runs in the win, while Paine, Johnson and Ott each had one run.
“Humboldt has been one of the top teams in our conference for a long time, so to get a win against them is huge for this team and our program,” said coach Thompson. “I thought Jezzie pitched one of the better games I have seen her pitch, striking out seven with no walks and not letting a runner get to third base all game. Madi Ott had a huge double for the second game in a row and Taylor Bedford drove in two huge runs to lead our offense.”
Clear Lake 15
Riceville 4
It was another monster game for the Lions on Saturday, June 1, as the Clear Lake girls put up 15 runs after scoring a run all seven innings against the Riceville Wildcats.
Originally slated to compete in the Lake Mills tournament, the Lions traveled to Riceville after rain canceled the tournament.
The Lions scored one in the first, before adding four in the second and two in the third, while allowing one to the Wildcats.
Two more runs came between the fourth and fifth and the Lions added two more in the sixth before the Wildcats had a surge of energy in the bottom of the inning to add three.
The Lions closed out the game with three more to defeat the Wildcats by 11.
The Lions recorded 15 runs on 15 hits, with 12 singles, three doubles and a total of 10 RBI. The Lions only had five strikeouts at the plate.
Scoring runs for the Lions was Ott with three, Thompson, Bedford, Hartl and Cheyanne Schroeder with two each and Paine, Schwenn, Camryn Allsbrook and Avery Puttmann with one each.
Thompson was back in the circle again for the Lions pitching a complete game allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out 11 batters.
“This was the breakout game offensively that we have been expecting to see all year,” said coach Thompson. “We had 15 hits as a team and Alivia, Jezzie, Taylor Bedford, Alaina, and Cheyanne all had multiple hits to lead our offense. Hopefully we can carry this momentum forward into a full schedule the next few weeks.”
Clear Lake 12
CGD 0
The Lions hosted the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowgirls Monday, June 3, in a game that lasted two and a half innings.
The Lion girls were on top of their game to add yet another North Central Conference win to their record, advancing to 5-2 on the year and 3-0 in the conference.
Again led by freshman Jezzie Thompson, the Lions held the Cowgirls off the board while scoring three in the first inning and having a monster second inning, scoring nine runs.
The Cowgirls had one more opportunity to score and being unable to do so, the Lions would take the quick victory.
“It feels amazing and it’s a lot of fun when the team behind me can make plays. They keep me accountable and keep me happy,” said Thompson. “I definitely get nervous sometimes, but my team does a great job of keeping me calm and making it a good experience for me.”
Thompson believes the team bond is the secret to the Lions success early this season, which is evident by the teams presence in the dugout and on the field.
“Before each of our games we have a team prayer and I think that really gets us in the right mindset,” said Thompson. “It keeps us open to challenges and being able to overcome it.”
