BELMONT — It was still chilly and the grass was still brown, but the local prep softball season finally got underway last Thursday afternoon in Belmont.
     Dodgeville’s Becca Veinberg went 2–for-3 with a pair of two-out RBI singles and that’s all Dodgers’ ace Sam Arnold would need.
     Arnold held the frigid Braves to two seventh inning singles while striking out 11 in a complete game 2–0 shutout.
     “She threw hard enough to put us on our heels,” said Belmont head coach Jeff Hodgson. “I didn’t do enough to have my team ready for that speed. We will correct that.”
     Arnold was so good she had a no-hitter through 61/3 innings, before a one-out Emma Eastlick single ended the no-hit bit.
     Daisy Cunzenheim followed with a single of her own and Belmont had a rally brewing in the last half inning, but Arnold got the next two batters and Dodgeville escaped.
     The Dodgers (1–0) scored their first run in the top of the first inning when shortstop Brooke Lee singled, stole second and scored on Veinberg’s two-out RBI single to left field.
     It was deja vu in the top of the third inning as Lee singled again, stole second again, and this time came around to score on a two-out Vienberg blooper down the left field line.
     “Defensively I thought we played pretty well for the first night out,” said Hodgson. “I thought Kalyn really started to settle in during the middle innings. Dodgeville is well coached and they got two clutch hits by [Veinberg]. They will surprise some people this season.”
     Monday night Belmont broke into the win column behind the right arm and hot bat of senior pitcher Kalyn Kamps.
She tossed a complete game four-hitter and allowed just one unearned run while striking out six, but also led the way at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI as Belmont defeated host Galena 6–1.
     Junior Jordyn Kamps drove in a pair of runs with a double.
     Belmont (1–1) was scheduled to host Cassville/River Ridge Tuesday. The Braves will return to action Thursday at Benton/Shullsburg before traveling to Lancaster on Monday.

Dodgeville 2, Belmont 0
(from Thursday, April 4 @ Belmont)
Dodgeville    101    000    0   —   2  5  1
Belmont        000    000    0   ­—   0  2  0
Leading hitters — D: Brooke Lee 2x3, Becca Veinberg 2x3.
W — Sam Arnold (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 11 SO, 2 BB). L — Kalyn Kamps (0–1, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 SO, 2 BB).

Belmont 6, Galena 1
(from Monday, April 8 @ Galena)
Belmont    002    010    3    ­—   6  7  4
Galena       000    001    0    —   1  4  2
Leading hitters — B: Kalyn Kamps 3x4, G: Sitzmann 2x3. 2B — B: Jordyn Kamps; G: Sitzmann.
W — Kalyn Kamps (1–1, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 SO, 0 BB). L — Miles (6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 5 SO, 3 BB).