No. 5 Falcons shut out Lady Hounds

BY PCC SPORTS

FORT MADISON - The West Burlington Notre Dame Falcons, ranked No. 5 in Class 3A, swept Fort Madison in girls high school softball action Tuesday night.

It was a pitchers' duel in game one as just seven hits were accumulated by both teams in a 2-0 shutout. Lauren Summers went the distance for West Burlington giving up just three hits while striking out seven and walking one.

Erika Kruse pitched all seven innings for Fort Madison allowing two runs, one earned on four hits, while striking out two and walking three.

West Burlington got things going in the second inning. Anna Engberg singled to open the top of the frame and stole second. She advanced to third on a sac fly to right and came around to score on Riley Richards' ground out to short for a 1-0 lead.

Kruse got an infield grounder to end the threat.

Logan Johnson drew a walk to start the third and Lauryn Helmick singled to put two on with no outs, but Summers got Kruse, McKenna Cashman, and Elle Ruble all to strike out on just 10 pitches to retire the side.

West Burlington would score what would be the final run of the game in the top of the third. Kruse gave up back-to-back walks to open the inning. Lauren Krieger then hit a sharp grounder that was mishandled at short allowing Isabella Blaufuss, who had stolen third, to come around and score making it 2-0.

Fort Madison got things going again in the 5th when Ruble doubled to center with two outs, but Elizabeth Tanner fanned to end the threat. Kruse retired the side in the top of the sixth and Emily Steffensmeier singled to open the bottom half. But she was picked off by catcher Logan Kelly. Neeley Rehm ground out to third and Lexi Whaley lined out to center to end the inning.

The Bloodhounds went down in order in the seventh to suffer the loss.

In game two, West Burlington shut out the Bloodhounds 9-0. The Falcons' Madelyn Thomas went 5 2/3, giving up just two hits while striking out six and walking two.

Helmick gave up seven runs, five earned on nine hits, and struck out one. Kruse came on in the sixth and gave up two runs, none earned on one hit.

The Falcons blew the game open with a 4-run fourth inning. Three of the first four batters doubled to plate a couple runs making it 3-0, then Madalynn Knapp singled, driving in another run. Blaufuss followed with another single to make it 5-0 before a flyout ended the inning.

The Falcons would tack on two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings before rain cut the game one inning short. Helmick and Tanner had the lone hits for Fort Madison.

The Bloodhounds fall to 0-3 (0-0) on the year and host Davenport North in another doubleheader on Friday. Southeast Conference play starts Tuesday May 31, with a doubleheader at Mt. Pleasant starting at 5:30.