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Bears score 10 unanswered, top Bravettes
Mikesell totals 3 RBIs, continues hot bat
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
NORTH ENGLISH — After getting down 5-0, the English Valleys softball team could have easily folded.
Instead, the Bears responded.
They scored 10 unanswered runs to top Montezuma 10-5 Monday, ending a seven-game losing skid.
“We had a rough (last) week,” English Valleys coach Steve Hester said. “We had a couple starters gone for some games and, morale-wise, the girls did not have much going.
“Today was a great job. When we finally started to do what they know how to do, things fell into place and our confidence grew as the game went on.”
The Bravettes scored their first run in the second after a single from Kamryn Schmidt, who eventually scored off a Bears error.
Schmidt then hit a 3-RBI double in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Another run scored off an error, but it was all Bears after that.
The Bears responded immediately, tying up the game in the bottom of the inning.
Taylor Mikesell drove in two runs with the bases loaded, and three more runs scored off Bravettes miscues and an Anna Luers fielder’s choice RBI.
Mikesell, who is leading the South Iowa Cedar League in batting average, has more than doubled her average from last season.
“I’ve watched a lot of college softball lately,” Mikesell said. “I’ve been taking pointers form watching them.”
Mikesell is staying patient on her pitch, keeping an eye on the ball and keeping her swings smooth.
Addison Achenbach added a sacrifice fly RBI in the fourth, while Ava Gehrking and Mikesell added RBIs in the sixth.
Gehrking and Mikesell each had two hits in the game.
The Bears took a 10-5 lead to the seventh inning, and pitcher Kaylynn Caster closed things out, retiring three in four total at-bats.
Schmidt and Ellen Cook each had two hits as the Bravettes totaled eight in the game. The Bears also had eight hits.
The Bears hope this win can give them confidence going into the rest of their season in what has become a fairly balanced SICL.
“It’s a good win to give our pitcher and team confidence,” said Mikesell. “Hopefully we can continue building confidence.“
Baseball: Montezuma 18, English Valleys 0
On the other side of town, the Montezuma baseball team got its fourth win of the season over the Bears.
The Braves recorded 14 hits.
Ethan DesRochers, Luke Erselius and Easton Hudnut had three RBIs each.
