NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – Freshman Delayna Bear started on the mound for the Trojans against Grinnell on June 4.

Last week was a tough one for the STC softball team. On Wednesday, June 4 they traveled to Grinnell to play a doubleheader against an undefeated Tiger team. On the following night, they hosted their in-county neighbors North Tama. At the end of the week, the Trojans suffered three difficult losses.

In game #1 against Grinnell, the Tigers jumped out to a quick and dominant lead. Scoring six runs in each of the first two innings, Grinnell carried a 12-0 lead into the third inning. Adding two runs in the third, the Tigers ran away to a 14-0 win in a shortened four-inning affair. Junior shortstop Kylee Bond led the way for Grinnell, going 3-3 with a single, double, and RBI.

In the nightcap, the Tigers equaled their run total in the first game and, again, won by a margin of 14-0. Bond racked up another three hits in game #2. In both games combined, she went 6-6 at the plate with 5 RBIs and 6 runs scored. The two victories against STC moved Grinnell’s record to 9-0 on the season.

On the following evening, the North Tama Redhawks came to town to play a single varsity contest. Freshman Layla Pansegrau started the game on the mound for the Trojans and the Redhawks were able to score in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. But the Trojans responded in a big way in their half of the first. After an error, two hit-by-pitches, and singles by freshmen Sydney Arp and Presley Vest, STC was able to take a 2-1 lead. After another error and two wild pitches, the Trojans were able to push the lead to 5-1. But then freshman Shelby Johannsen delivered the big hit of the inning when she struck a 3-run home run to left field to give STC an 8-1 lead after one inning.

But the Trojans were unable to score over the next three innings and the Redhawks were able to chip away at the lead. Scoring one in the 2nd, two in the 3rd, and two in the 4th, North Tama cut the lead to 8-6 after four innings.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC sophomore Taylor Dolezal swings at a pitch against Grinnell.

The Trojans were able to extend their lead to 9-6 in the fifth inning when senior Isabelle Johannsen singled with one out. After stealing second base and advancing to third on a wild pitch, Shelby Johannsen got her fourth RBI of the game when she singled in the run. But an error in the top of the sixth allowed two Redhawk runs to score and the STC lead was cut to 9-8 going into the final inning.

The Trojans were unable to shut down the Redhawks for the win, as North Tama scored two runs in the seventh inning to take their first lead of the game, 10-9. STC was down to their final three outs.

Pansegrau led off the bottom half of the seventh inning with a single and Isabelle Johannsen followed with a walk. Pansegrau was then driven in when freshman Maylee Rucker singled to center and tied the score at 10-10. This set up STC with runners at first and second with nobody out and a golden opportunity to win the game. But North Tama quickly shut down the inning with a caught stealing, strike-out, and fly-out to send the game to extra innings.

North Tama opened their half of the eighth by scoring three runs off of four Trojan errors. And after Arp hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth for STC, the Redhawks quickly shut down the rally to leave town with a 13-10 victory over the Trojans.

On the evening, Pansegrau went the distance for STC, pitching all eight innings. She threw a solid game, being able to avoid big innings for North Tama. Offensively, the Trojans were led by Shelby Johannsen who finished with a home run, two singles, and four RBIs. Arp contributed three singles, and senior Madison Hitchcock added two hits.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – Off of a Grinnell hit, senior Madison Wiese gets the ball back into the infield and Trojan freshman shortstop Sydney Arp.

Up next for the STC softball team (0-7) is a home Varsity doubleheader against Vinton-Shellsburg on Monday, June 16 (5:30, 7:30 p.m.). This will be followed by a trip to Benton for a doubleheader on Wednesday, June 18.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC senior second baseman Abigail Chyma prepares defensively against Grinnell.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – Trojan freshman first baseman Shelby Johannsen readies herself defensively against Grinnell on June 4.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – Senior Madison Hitchcock throws to first base for the out against Grinnell.