Softball dealt trio of defeats while wins remain elusive

By Nathaniel Underwood

The Colby/Abbotsford softball team is still in search of its first win of the 2024 season, falling to 0-8 this season after dropping contests to Auburndale, Columbus Catholic and Athens over the past week.

Auburndale, 12-2

Colby/Abby traveled to Auburndale for a make-up game on Monday afternoon, hoping to deal the hosting Eagles their third loss of the season. While they kept Auburndale from hitting the ball, the home team did not need much from their bats to still generate offense, dealing the co-op an 12-2 defeat.

The visiting Colby/Abby squad actually outhit the Eagles seven to four, but 10 walks, four batters hit by pitches and two errors surrendered by the co-op gave Auburndale ample opportunities to score. The Eagles put up double digit runs in each of the first four innings, scoring 10 unanswered runs to open the contest.

While the co-op got multiple baserunners on in the second, third and fourth innings, they could not quite string together enough offense to get any of them home.

The lineup finally broke through in the top of the fifth, starting off with a single from Elizabeth Perez. Josie Higley followed up Perez’s hit with a double to right field and Harrison Schmitt drove in Perez on a single. Higley came home on a ground out by Tatum Bargender for Colby/ Abby’s second run, but the visitors’ rally would end there.

Neveah Treankler started on the mound for the co-op, giving up just three hits in three innings of work. However, six walks and errors in the second and the third allowed Auburndale to score eight runs, only four of which were earned. Tatum Bargender took the mound in relief but ran into similar problems. While she only gave up one hit in her one inning on the mound, four walks and three hit batters resulted in four runs being scored.

Higley finished the game going 2-for-3 and scoring a run for Colby/Abby. Schmitt was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk and Treankler, Kylie Orth, Lucia Perez and Elizabeth Perez all had one hit in two atbats.

Columbus Catholic, 12-1

The co-op had their second Cloverbelt conference game of the season last Friday, traveling to Marshfield to take on Columbus Catholic. The visiting squad could not keep pace with Dons, falling 12-1 on the road.

While the Colby/Abby defense was able to keep Columbus within striking distance over the first three innings, a seven-run fourth for the Dons allowed them to end the game in the fifth. The home team had eight batters reach safely in the inning, seven of which hit singles, before the coop was able to secure the final two outs of the inning.

The weather likely played a part in the contest, with cold temperatures and wind potentially deadening balls put in play. Of the 19 hits in the game, only one went for extra bases.

Colby/Abby’s sole run came in the second. Neveah Treankler got things started with a one out single through the right side of the infield, giving the co-op their first hit of the game. Lucia Perez moved Treankler over on a well placed sacrifice bunt and McKinley Klabon came through in the next at-bat with a single. Treankler rushed home on an error by the Columbus defense and slid in under the tag at home, cutting Columbus’s lead in half on the play.

See C/A SOFTBALL/ Page 13

SOLID CONTACT - McKinley Klabon gets a base hit in the second inning of the co-op conference game against Columbus Catholic. Colby/Abby’s sole run in the game would score on the play. STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD C/A softball

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Three runs from the Dons in the bottom half of the inning would once again distance the home team from their guests and the big fourth inning ended the game in five innings. The co-op would only have two hits the rest of the game.

Perez finished the game 1-for-1 with a single and a stolen base in the fourth inning and Josie Higley added another hit and a stolen base in the top of the third.

Athens, 15-5

While Colby/Abby matched Athens in hits during the teams’ non-conference matchup last week, the Bluejays were able to work 13 walks to the co-op’s one, allowing them to handily take a 15-5 victory over the visitors.

A pair of four-run innings for Athens set the tone early. Powered by an early home run, the home team’s only extra base hit of the game, and a series of walks, the Bluejays jumped out to an 8-0 lead.

Colby/Abby managed to strike back in the top of the third, halving Athens’s lead with a four-run inning of their own. Just as it seemed that the co-op had worked their way back into the game, the Bluejays slammed the door closed by putting up three more runs in the bottom half of the frame. The co-op would manage another run in the top of the fourth, but four insurance runs by Athens in the fifth would end the game early.

Josie Higley and Harrison Schmitt were both 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored against Athens, with Schmitt notching a double and Higley stealing a base. Kylie Orth also had an extra base hit, smacking an RBI triple. Lucia Perez was 1-for-1 at the plate with a walk and two runs scored, Elizabeth Perez had a hit, a stolen base, and a run scored and Torrance Bloome and McKinley Klabon added hits as well.

Tatum Bargender started on the mound for Colby/ Abby, giving up eight runs on four hits and six walks in one and a third innings. Neveah Treankler pitched the rest of the game, surrendering seven runs on three hits and seven walks while striking out one.

The co-op will be back in action on Thursday, April 25 when they travel to Gilman for a rematch with the conference-leading Pirates. In their first matchup, the opening conference game for both teams, Gilman came out on top with a 13-3 win. First pitch between the two Cloverbelt-East squads is scheduled for 5 p.m.