The Annawan-Wethersfield softball team played Galve twice in three days and the result was a split against the Wildcats.
The Titans (6-15) outlasted host Galva 6-5 on Tuesday, but came up short in a 5-1 home field loss on Thursday. With the loss, the Wildcats slip to 4-13 on the season.
Annawan-Wethersfield 6, Galva 5
Both teams played solid defense and benefitted from strong pitching efforts throughout the first three scoreless innings. Wavelynn Peart started in the circle for the Titans and Jovie Weber was the starting pitcher for the Wildcats.
In her first at-bat of the game, freshman Addy Yepson belted a fly ball double to center field, but Galva wasn’t able to capitalize on the first-inning hit.
Both teams started producing hits in the fourth inning. Aaliyah Hayes reached first on an error and Sophie Nimrick and Traidan Hier took advantage of the error, scoring the first two runs for the Titans.
Karsyn Rico then hit a single and Peart scored to give Annawan-Wethersfield a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Galva countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Ava Anderson hit a double to right field and Karsten Jones advanced to third on the play. Avery Dooley then hit a single, plating Anderson and Jones for a score of 3-2.
Hier and Nimrick tacked on two more runs for A-W in the fifth inning to expand the lead to 5-2. Galva answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
Kaylyn Gale reached on a single and Maddie Bates scored on the play for the Wildcats. Jones then hit a sacrifice fly, sending Weber home and closing the gap, 5-4.
The Titans were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings. Galva took advantage in the bottom of the seventh inning and produced the tying run.
Yepson got a hold of another one and hit her second double of the day. Gale followed up with a single and Yepson scored on the play to tie the game at 5-5 in regulation.
In the top of the eighth inning, Rico singled on a fly ball to my left field. Paige Huffman then stepped to the plate and hit a double and Rico advanced to third.
Hier then grounded into a fielder’s choice and Huffman was called out at third, but Rico scored to give the Titans a lead of 6-5.
Sophie Nimrick pitched the final three innings for A-W. She struck out two of the final five batters she faced, securing the 6-5 win.
Peart earned win for the Titans. In five innings on the mound, she struck out six and walked one. She allowed seven hits and four runs (two earned).
Jovie Weber absorbed the loss for Galva. In four innings, she struck out two and walked four, while surrendering three hits and five runs (two earned).
At the plate
Annawan-Wethersfield
Nimrick (3-4, 2 runs, 1 BB). Huffman (2-5, 1 double). Rico (2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI). Hier (2 runs, 1 RBI, 3 BB). Peart (1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB). Murphy (1 RBI). Hayes (2 RBI). Harker (1 BB).
Galva
Gale (3-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Wignant (2-3, 1 BB). Yepson (2-5, 2 doubles, 1 run). Weber (1-5, 1 run). Anderson (1-4, 1 double, 1 run). Dooley (1-4, 2 RBI). Jones (1 run, 1 RBI). Bates (1 run, 1 BB).
Galva 5, Annawan-Wethersfield 1
The Wildcats (5-13) were able to avenge Tuesday’s 6-5 loss to the Titans (6-16) with a 5-1 win on Thursday in Annawan. Similar to Tuesday’s game, the game required an extra inning to decide the winner.
The game was tied 1-1 after seven innings of regulation, but the Wildcats erupted for four runs in the extra eighth inning en route to winning 5-1.
In the bottom of the second inning, Sophie Nimrick reached first on a fielder’s choice. She later stole third and scored on a passed ball, giving the Titans a 1-0 lead.
Wavelynn Peart hit a double in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Titans weren’t able to capitalize
Galva tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when Addy Yepson hit a single and Lilly Wignant scored. Galva threatened to score another run in the top of the sixth inning. Ava Anderson hit a triple on a fly ball to right field, but she was left stranded.
Kaylyn Gale scored the first run of the eighth inning to give Galva a 2-1 edge. Wignant then hit a line drive double, sending home Weber and Anderson to extend the lead, 4-1.
Galva put up one more run after Amber Plummer reached on an error. Wignant scored on the play, giving the Wildcats the 5-1 conference win.
Plummer went the distance to pick up the win for Galva. In eight innings, she struck out three and walked one, while giving up five hits and one unearned run.
Peart also pitched the entire eight innings. She struck out four, giving up three walks, nine hits and five runs – none of which were earned.
At the plate
Galva
Gale (2-4, 1 double). Wignant (1-2, 1 double, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2 BB). Anderson (1-4, 1 triple, 1 run). Yepson (2-4, 1 RBI). Weber (2-4, 1 run). Plummer (1-4)
Annawan-Wethersfield
Rico (2-3, 1 BB). Peart (1-3, 1 double). Harker (1-3). Hier (1-4). Nimrick (1 run)
