COBB — The Iowa–Grant softball team has been on a roller coaster ride through the Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League so far this year.
Last Monday, the Panthers dropped a 3–2 decision to league-leading Southwestern, after the Wildcats scored all three of their runs in the final two innings.
Two nights later, on a miserable cold, windy and drizzly spring day, Iowa–Grant bounced back with a 7–4 SWAL win over Boscobel, the same team that handed I–G its first loss of the season on April 4.
The Panthers capped the week with an 11–1 six-inning non-conference victory at Highland on Friday, scoring all 11 runs in the final three innings.
Last Monday Claire Splinter doubled to lead off the top of the seventh inning for Southwestern (11–2, 7–1) and later scored the eventual game-winning run on a suicide squeeze by Renicker.
Iowa–Grant took an early 1–0 lead on a second-inning RBI groundout by junior Elana Winders. Junior pitcher Maranda McCarthy added an RBI single in the third to make it 2–0. McCarthy’s single was the Panthers’ only hit against Southwestern ace Madison Kuhl.
Junior shortstop Hannah Stevens I–G and early 1–0 lead with a first-inning home run against Boscobel.
But the Bulldogs battled back to take a brief 3–2 lead on home run by Hailey Bray in the top of the fourth inning.
Iowa–Grant regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, then extened the lead to 6–3 on a clutch two-out, two-run triple by senior Kristin Bingham in the fifth.
Friday afternoon, Iowa–Grant exploded for seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to blow open a scoreless game. The Panthers took advantage of two Highland errors, a pair of walks and a hit batter.
Mallory Peat had an RBI double in the big inning, Katie Olson drew a bases loaded walk to plate another run and Morgan Eisele added an RBI single for the winners.
“Our pitching and defense has been really strong the last couple of games, so as long as that keeps up we really can beat anyone we play,” said Iowa–Grant head coach Deanna Fulton.
Monday afternoon Riverdale senior Amanda Meister handcuffed the Panthers allowing just one baserunner in a 2–0 shutout in Muscoda. Junior Katie Olson doubled for Iowa–Grant, but was promptly picked off two pitches later.
Meister struck out nine and without a walk and faced the minimum 21 batters through seven innings.
The Chieftains (7–6, 3–6 SWAL) scored both their runs nin the third inning on an error and an RBI double by Herrid.
McCarthy (8–5) was the tough luck loser, allowing one earned on three hits in six innings.
Iowa–Grant (8–5, 4–5 SWAL) will host Darlington Thursday at 5 p.m. before traveling to Fennimore on Monday.
Southwestern 3, Iowa–Grant 2
(from Monday, April 25 @ Hazel Green)
Southwestern 000 002 1 — 3 4 1
Iowa–Grant 011 000 0 — 2 1 1
Leading hitters — none. 2B — S: Splinter.
W — Madison Kuhl (7IP, 1H, 2ER, 9K, 5BB). L — Maranda McCarthy (6–4, 7IP, 4H, 2ER, 4K, 1BB).
Iowa–Grant 7, Boscobel 4
(from Thursday, April 28 @ Cobb)
Boscobel 000 301 0 — 4 5 5
Iowa–Grant 110 221 x — 7 9 1
Leading hitters — B: Wacker 3x4; IG: Hannah Stevens 2x3, Maranda McCarthy 3x3, Mallory Peat 2x3. 2B — S: Splinter. 2B — B: Grassel; IG: McCarthy. 3B — IG: Bingham. HR — B: Bray; IG: Stevens.
W — Maranda McCarthy (7–4, 7IP, 5H, 4ER, 6K, 5BB). L — Grassel (6IP, 9H, 7R, 3ER, 5K, 1BB).
Iowa–Grant 11, Highland 1
(from Friday, April 29 @ Highland)
Iowa–Grant 000 722 — 11 5 2
Highland 000 100 — 1 2 6
Leading hitters — IG: Mallory Peat 2x3. 2B — IG: Peat; Lexi Busse.
W — Maranda McCarthy (8–4, 6IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 7K, 0BB). L — Kosharek (3IP, 5H, 7R, 3K, 2BB).
Riverdale 2, Iowa–Grant 0
(from Monday, May 2 @ Muscoda)
Iowa–Grant 000 000 0 — 0 1 1
Riverdale 002 000 x — 2 3 0
Leading hitters — none. 2B — IG: Katie Olson; R: Herrid.
W — Amanda Meister (7IP, 1H, 0R, 9K, 0BB). L — Maranda McCarthy (8–5, 6IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 3K, 0BB).
