Helmick homers as Hounds snap losing skid

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BY ETHAN LILLARD
PCC SPORTS

DONNELLSON- Coming into Thursday's doubleheader at Central Lee High School Fort Madison softball was on an eight-game losing streak, with the last win coming against Easton Valley on June 11.

The Bloodhounds made the losing streak seem like a distant memory by the end of the second contest Thursday night, walking away with the 9-6 win over the Hawks after having already defeated Davis County in game one 5-1.

GAME ONE

It took three innings of softball before game one saw its first run.

After Cassie Powers held Davis County to a three-up, three-down top of the third, Logan Johnson started the home-half of the inning with a single. Jassmine Bass reached first safely on an error the following at bat, before both came around to score on a bad throw to the catcher.

Kylee Cashman then singled, before an Olivia Williams sacrifice groundout scored Cashman to give the Hounds a 3-0 lead. Maycee Featheringill was able to score from third on another Mustang error for the 4-0 advantage.

Fort Madison gave Powers more insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth. Bass walked to begin the inning and swiped both second and third base, before scoring on a Vanessa Golowach bunt to make it 5-0.

Davis County used a walk, a hit by pitch and a double to plate its lone run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Powers allowed one single hit after the run scored, as Fort Madison went on to take game one 5-1.

Golowach led the way for the Bloodhounds with three RBIs, while Bass was the team leader with runs scored with two. Powers tossed 95 pitches over her seven innings, allowing just four hits for a single earned run. Powers also added in four strikeouts.

“They did pretty good,” Fort Madison Head Coach Jared Rehm said. “Defense was better. We actually hit the ball and scored runs this time. We had a four-run inning and Cassie pitched well.”

Fort Madison's Kylee Cashman makes a throw from short in the Lady Hounds win over Davis County Thursday night. Photo by Ethan Lillard/PCC

GAME TWO

Despite scoring five runs in the top of the second inning, Fort Madison still trailed Central Lee 6-5 heading into the top of the seventh inning.

Fort Madison used four-straight singles from Powers, Johnson, Bass and Golowach to plate the first two runs of the game in the top of the second. An Allyson Helmick home run over the fence in left field unloaded the bases and gave the Bloodhounds a 5-0 lead.

Central Lee wasted no time responding.

The Hawks opened up the bottom of the second with Bella Steffensmeier reaching base safely on an error, before Daly Brisby singled. Meghan Hopp came up with a double the following at bat to bring in Steffensmeier for the Hawks' first run.

Macy Watkins got on base thanks to another Hound fielding error, allowing Brisby to score in the process. Chloe Davis singled the next at bat to bring home Hopp, cutting the lead to 5-3.

Fort Madison got its first out on a fielder's choice, but a Makenna Hall single cut the Hounds' lead to one at 5-4.

Two innings later the Hawks struck again, starting the bottom of the fourth inning with walk that would eventually result in a run thanks to a sacrifice bunt, another Hound fielding error and a Zoe Eschman single, tying the contest at five runs each.

Central Lee put a runner on first to start the bottom of the fifth on a Fort Madison fielding error. Hopp then singled before Brisby scored on a groundout to put the Hawks in front 6-5.

With one final chance at the plate in the top of the seventh inning, Fort Madison started with back-to-back outs, leaving the Hounds with one final chance.

Williams was hit by a pitch the following at bat. Dalyn Wondra hit a hard ground ball to shortstop that was mishandled allowing Williams to reach third. Wondra was safe at first to put runners on the corners.

Featheringill then took a 1-0 pitch to right field for a double clearing the bases and retaking the lead 7-6. Powers kept the inning alive with a single, before Johnson hit a double to plate Powers and extend the lead to 9-6.

An error to start the bottom of the seventh, followed by a single put the tying run at the plate for the Hawks with no outs. The Bloodhounds squashed the threat in two at bats, catching Bisby stealing third, forcing Watkins into a groundout and ending with a Davis groundout for the 9-6 comeback victory.

Helmick led the charge in game two with three RBIs and one run scored on a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Featheringill had two RBIs and one run scored, Golowach had two RBIs and scored once and Johnson had one RBI and one run scored on a 3 for 4 day. Katelyn Dennis picked up the win, coming on in relief for 2 2/3 innings. Neely Rehm drew the start and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and two earned runs.

Fort Madison moves to 10-14 on the year and travels to Maquoketa on Saturday.

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