Hornets split the week’s tough conference games
Olivia Goodman, Cadott senior, sends the ball back to the infield, after a hit May 6, from Thorp, during the match-up on the Hornets’ field. Photo by Ginna Young
By Ginna Young
Cadott’s softball squad can’t seem to get enough of double headers, opening up the week with one, before facing two more teams later on.
May 3 vs. McDonell conference (L 10-0)
Beginning the week’s games, Cadott headed to McDonell for the first of a double header. The scoring went slow for both teams until the third inning, when the Macks got on the board with two runs.
After that, it would be all McDonell, as they added four runs in the fourth, and two in each of the fifth and sixth innings, to take a 10-0 win.
Senior Makenna Barone went 5.33 innings on the mound, giving up 11 hits, 10 runs and 7 walks, and striking out 3.
On the offensive side, senior Olivia Goodman and junior Elly Eiler each came away with 2 hits, and junior Eva Enestvedt had 1 hit.
May 3 vs. McDonell conference (L 6-2)
In the second game of the double header, scoring was again at a premium early on for the Hornets. McDonell got on the board with a run in the first inning, but Cadott tied it up in the second and added another run in the third.
The Macks answered with three runs in their side of the third inning to take the lead and they kept it, bringing in two more in the fifth, to come up with a 6-2 win.
Junior Lauryn Goettl pitched all seven innings for Cadott, allowing 5 hits and 6 runs, with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Goodman and Goettl had the only two hits for the Hornets.
May 5 vs. Osseo-Fairchild conference (W 11-4)
It was then off to visit Osseo-Fairchild. The Hornets got on the board with a run in the first, then the Thunder knocked in two runs in the second and third innings.
Cadott brought in three runs in the fourth to tie the game, while holding the Thunder scoreless in the fifth inning. The Hornets added two more runs in the sixth and five in the seventh, and Osseo-Fairchild had to concede defeat, 11-4.
Barone was on the mound all seven innings, giving up 9 hits and 4 runs, while walking 3 and striking out 4 batters.
Goodman had 4 hits on the night, followed by Goettl and Eiler, with 3. Barone recorded 2 hits, while Enestvedt, junior Laken Ryan and freshman Kasey Moldrem each chipped in with 1 hit.
May 6 vs. Thorp conference (W 14-13)
To finish out the week’s schedule, Cadott saw Thorp come to town. The Cardinals struck first, batting in five runs in the opening inning, while Cadott could only come up with one run in their side of the inning.
Thorp added another run in the second and Cadott came up with two runs in the third inning. The Cardinals refused to go down and answered back with two in the fourth.
Not to be outdone, the Hornets put two runs of their own on the board in the sixth inning, but still trailed going into the final inning.
“We had a crazy finish, exciting finish to the game,” said coach Kari Moldrem. “It was great to see our bats come alive at the right times.”
Thorp wouldn’t give up and put themselves ahead, with a four-run seventh inning. It looked bleak when Cadott stepped up to the bat, but prevailed, knocking in seven runs to take a 14-13 come-from-behind win.
Goettl went 3.3 innings, giving up 10 hits and 8 runs, while walking 2 and striking out 2. Barone pitched 4.67 innings, for 8 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks and 3 strikeouts on the mound.
Barone also came up with 3 hits for the team. Eiler, Goettl, Goodman, Enestvedt and freshman Rilei Weeks all had 2 hits each for the Hornets.
Kari Moldrem says the team showed great perseverance by coming back from six runs down in the bottom of the seventh inning, to not only tie the game, but win it.
“But never in a million years, would I have thought we would score the game-tying run and winning run, on a ball hit to the pitcher.”
