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Warriors progress at right time
Roberts has success in lead-off spot
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
VICTOR — The HLV-TC softball team extended its win streak to five games Friday, a sign that the team is heading in the right direction as the postseason awaits.
The Warriors topped English Valleys 15-5 in four innings, for the team’s 14th win of the season.
“I feel we are definitely progressing right now, and we still have more potential we can reach,” senior Ema Roberts said.
Although it is a minor change, Roberts has settled into a new role these past few weeks. She’s the team’s lead-off hitter. Roberts previously batted second.
“I have definitely liked going back to the one spot more,” said Roberts. “I was almost more nervous batting second.”
Being lead-off isn’t unfamiliar for Roberts. She was first at the plate in both her freshman and sophomore seasons.
“The idea is me getting bunts down and getting us a person on base right away,” Roberts said.
Roberts can get on base via infield bunts and also provides plenty of speed for stealing bases. So does the new number two batter, Ayla Hall.
“It’s super fun,” Roberts said about stealing bases aggressively. “We both kind of know that when we get on base we are stealing right away.”
“It’s fun having a teammate behind you that you know is going just as hard as you are and wanting to steal bases.”
Those skills were on display Friday, as they have been for the whole season. The Warriors have stolen 82 bases on 83 attempts.
The Warriors scored first in Friday’s game off an RBI from Raegan Molyneux in the first inning.
Anna Luers responded in the second for the Bears with a solo home run, the first of Luers’ career.
Mackenzie Allee regained the lead for the Warriors with a two-RBI single, from the nine spot in the batting order.
Big innings ensued for the Warriors in the third and fourth, ending the game early via the run rule with back-to-back six-run innings.
The last five runs of the game scored on passed balls at the plate. The Warriors used their speed and beat the tag on several occasions.
English Valleys added one run in the third off an RBI single from Ava Gehrking. Luers’ double in the fourth eventually set up a two-RBI single from Aubrey Achenbach.
The Warriors totaled eight hits in the game, and seven of the team’s eight RBIs came from the bottom half of the lineup. Karley Moore, seventh in the lineup, led the team with three in the game.
“They’ve been stepping up, and that’s what you want,” HLV-TC coach Grace Parrish said. “Everyone being a threat at the plate.”
The Warriors, for the second-straight season, received a first-round bye in the Class 1A postseason regional brackets — reward for a successful season.
“We were really excited when it came out and getting another bye,” Roberts said. “It shows our hard work, and getting to host is super fun.”
Following Friday, four more regular season games awaited the Warriors. English Valleys had three more.
Baseball: HLV-TC 11, English Valleys 10
English Valleys nearly had their first win of the baseball season. The Bears led 10-7 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Warriors responded with three runs and the game winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
