(Harlan) Harlan stayed one step ahead of Kuemper throughout the night and came away with a 5-3 softball win at home. The Cyclones improve to 15-5.
Harlan never trailed in the contest, but Kuemper Catholic twice came back to tie the game. Kate Heithoff and Emily Brouse each had two hits for the winning squad. Heithoff drove in runs in the 4th and 6th innings while the night for Brouse included a double and an RBI.
Tianna Kasperbauer tossed the first four innings with six hits allowed. She walked none and struck out three. Kasperbauer exited the game with a 4-3 lead. Brouse came on for the final three innings allowing one hit, two walks, and struck out four.
Aurora Miller’s RBI single in the 2nd scored Jenna Gessert and gave the Cyclones a 1-0 lead. Kuemper tied it in the top of the 3rd when Hailey Ostrander led off with a double and came home on Kenzie Schon’s two out single.
Harlan plated two in the 3rd to take a 3-1 lead only to see Kuemper answer with two in the top of the 4th and tie the game at 3-3.
Harlan scored the go-ahead run in the 4th. Kennedy Kjergaard reached on a one out single. She stole 2nd and advanced to 3rd when the throw went into centerfield. A Kate Heithoff sac fly put Harlan up 4-3. They added to it in the 6th thanks to hits by Ella Plagman and Heithoff.
Hailey Ostrander had three of Kuemper’s seven hits. She doubled, scored one run, and drove in one run. Chloe Venteicher pitched the first four frames allowing seven hits, no walks, and striking out one. Kamryn Venner pitched the 5th and 6th, giving up two hits, one hit batter, and struck out three. The Knights fall to 10-8. They stranded ten base runners on the night including at least one in every inning.
Thanks to a Denison-Schleswig win over Atlantic, Harlan is now one game back in the Hawkeye Ten standings. The Trojans are 10-1, Harlan is 9-2, Denison-Schleswig and Creston each have three conference losses. Atlantic and Harlan meet Thursday, June 24th in Atlantic. Atlantic won in extra innings the first time they played Harlan.
