Zwielbohmer spins shutout over HTC

WEST POINT – It may have been tough to pronounce her name, but it certainly won’t be tough for the Holy Trinity Crusaders to remember Quinn Zweibohmer.
The 13-year-old eighth grader struck out 15 of 22 batters in Tuesday’s 7-0 shutout win over HTC at South Park in West Point.
The Crusaders managed just one hit off the righty, a single from Alivia Holmes up the middle in the lead-off spot in the first inning. The rest of the night, Zweibohmer kept Holy Trinity off balance with a nice riser while mixing up speeds through seven innings.
“A couple of the kids had seen her and a couple had played with her before,” said head coach Loren Menke. “Yeah, that girl was good. We weren’t ready for her tonight. A little bit of practice on timing. We haven’t seen pitching like that around here yet.”
With the Crusaders struggling to get a bead on Wapello’s pitching, Menke said he thought about going to some bunts and steals to manufacture runs, but said they got in a hole too fast.
“Yeah, we got in a hole, and we got into a position where we couldn’t do that, but the thought crossed my mind. We’ll get another shot at them, they are one of the few 1A schools that are left around here.”
Ellie Hellman and the HTC defense kept the game close through six innings trailing just 3-0, but a four-run top of the seventh spurred by multiple bunts for hits and RBIs blew the game open for the Arrows.
Hellman’s line was 14 hits over seven innings allowing seven runs, with four of those earned, while striking out two and walking one.

The Crusaders flashed some leather in the third inning to hold the game at 2-0 after surrendering a run each in the first and second inning.
Kenna Gittings made a spectacular diving catch in right field off a dying popup. Gittings got fully horizontal and caught the ball just as she collided with the ground and held it up off the grass for the out. Then the next hitter hit a smash to third that was gobbled up by Sydney Jarvis who threw to Emily Ross at 1st for the second out.
In the fourth inning, Elizabeth Griffin ran a drive down the left field line, catching it outstretched on a full run.
“We have a good defensive team. We have a pretty good team, but we’re still learning how to be good. But we’re gonna be all right.”
Menke said they wanted to save featured pitcher Sydney Jarvis for the Central Lee game, saying this was a non-conference game and the defense has been playing well.
The Crusaders get right back after it Wednesday with a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader against Central Lee in West Point.
“That’s the reason we didn’t pitch Sydney tonight. We were gonna bring her in for the save if we got there,” Menke said.
The Crusaders fall to 8-4 on the year and snap a five-game winning streak with Tuesday's loss.