Lady Hounds take two from Washingon

WASHINGTON - Fort Madison used a 10-run fifth inning to get back into the nightcap in Washington, then put up two more in the sixth to get a 17-16 win and sweep a doubleheader.

The Hounds blew out their hosts 14-2 in the opener.

In the second game, Fort Madison held a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the fourth. Erika Kruse was in the circle for the Hounds and had given up just one run in the first three innings.

But Washington would blow the game open with eight runs in its half. Kruse would walk the first two hitters and hit the Demon's Anna Venenga to load the bases. Rylee Fishback would then hit a two-run single to right field, followed by Cameron Malichky's RBI single to center.

Kruse would then give up a two walks and two singles to the next four hitters, around a wild pitch for four more runs. Lauryn Helmick would take over pitching and give up just a single, while getting a fly out, strikeout, and ground out to short to end the inning.

Fort Madison would respond in kind with a 10-spot in the top of the fifth.

Ivy Geerdes, Macy Featheringill and Alyson Helmick all singled to start the inning. Geerdes would score on a throwing error off Helmick's hit and Featheringill would score from third on a wild pitch.

Clary Fuerman would then draw a walk before Emily Steffensmeier slapped a single to left. After a flyout, Kylee Cashman and Lexi Whaley would scatter RBI singles. Dalyn Wondra would draw a walk on four pitches, before Geerdes would plate Cashman and Whaley on a one-out fielder's choice.

Helmick would connect on her second hit of the inning, a 2 RBI single to right center. She would swipe second and come around to score on Fuerman's single. Steffensmeier would reach on an error and get caught stealing to end the inning with Fort Madison on top 15-9.

But Washington would stay in the hunt getting the best of Helmick. The Demons put up seven runs in the bottom half of the fifth. The Hounds gave up a three singles, two walks, two hit batters and a double before Helmick got Haley Mitchell to fly out to left for the first out. The first seven Demons up to bat scored before Fort Madison could retire the side down 15-16.

Logan Johnson would knot things up with a home run to left field on the first pitch of the sixth. Cashman would reach on a two-base error in center and Whaley would drive the go-ahead run in with a single to center. Wondra, Geerdes and Featheringill would go down in order to end the inning with the Hounds up 17-16.

Neeley Rehm would come in and shut things down for the Hounds striking out three against no hits and no walks in the final two innings.

Helmick and Whaley each had three hits for the Hounds and combined for five RBI. Johnson was 2 for 5 with the dinger and two RBI. Cashman, Fuerman, Steffensmeier, and Featheringill all had hits in the win.

In the opener, the Hounds invoked the 12-run rule after three innings with a six-run top of the fourth with Rehm going the distance and shutting out the Demons the final three innings. The freshman also belted a three-run homer in the third inning to put Fort Madison up 8-2.

Featheringill and Cashman sparked a five-run second inning with two 2 RBI doubles to center field. Whaley connected on a two-run home run with no outs in the fourth inning to give Fort Madison a 10-2 lead. Steffensmeier would then hit a two-out double to deep left scoring Rehm and Lauryn Helmick and Johnson would follow up with an RBI single to left to end the scoring.

Rehm went the distance striking out three, while allowing four hits and two walks.

Cashman went 2-4 at the plate with the double and 3 RBI. Johnson, Rehm, Steffensmeier, Lauryn Helmick, Featheringill, Geerdes, Wondra and Whaley all had hits in the win.

Fort Madison moves to 4-3 on the year and hosts Keokuk in a varsity double header at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

On the year, Whaley is leading the Bloodhounds at the plate with a lofty .545 batting average. The eighth grader also has three homers and nine RBI to lead Fort Madison. Rehm is hitting .400 on the year through seven games in ten at bats. She's also 2-2 on the year in the circle with 14 strikeouts and 3.18 ERA, both tops on the team.