Softball: Comet comebacks sweep Spartans

Twice in two nights, BCLUW softball found late-inning heroics to complete a three-game sweep of Class 2A No. 14 Grundy Center in NICL West action last week.

The Comets prevailed in eight innings, 6-5, on June 16, beat the Spartans 12-2 in the first game of a doubleheader in Grundy on Friday and then walked off a 12-11 win in the night game.

On Thursday, the Comets trailed the Spartans 5-1 after two innings, but evened up the game at 5-all in the sixth inning with a run scored on an error and a two-out, two-RBI single from Maliah Gunderson.

Grundy Center had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh with one out, but Klayre Gallentine snagged an Emma Beck line drive for the second out, and then doubled up a Spartan runner on third.

The Comets didn’t threaten in the seventh, but held a Spartan runner at first in the eighth and got cooking again in the bottom half of the eighth.

With one out, Hoover reached on an infield error and advanced to second on the same error. In the next at-bat, another infield error brought Hoover around to score the game winner.

Emma Beck struck out 17 batters for the Spartans, but seven defensive errors led to five unearned runs scoring against Grundy.

Lucy Lebo led Grundy Center’s offensive efforts, 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI. For BCLUW, Callie Swanson was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI and Maliah Gunderson had two RBI.

Over in Grundy Center on Friday, the Comets got a big boost with six runs in the fifth inning to run away from the Spartans in the opener.

Cassie Nason was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI and Cameron Bergman and Emma Hoover also brought home two Comet runners.

Grundy Center finally seemed to catch a break or two in the sixth inning of the night game, racking up seven runs in the sixth inning to take an 11-10 lead on the Comets.

But Klayre Gallentine singled, and after a sac bunt moved her into scoring position, a wild pitch brought Gallentine in to tie the game. Three batters later, Maliah Gunderson was up with the bases loaded and one out.

Gunderson slapped a single and brought in, once again, Emma Hoover as the winning run.

Gunderson was 4-for-5 with a double and the game-winning RBI. Kaylee Grant was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Cassie Nason had two hits, including a double.

Four different Spartans knocked in at least two runs in that final game of the series, including a 4-for-4, three-RBI performance by Carlie Willis. Lucy Lebo added three hits, all doubles, and two RBI; Alli Beenken had a double and two RBI and Paige Strohbehn plated a pair of Spartans.

BCLUW 6, Grundy Center 5. WP: Katie Hill, 8 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. LP: Emma Beck, 7.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 17 K. GC: Blessing Edittu RBI; Lucy Lebo 3-4, 2B, RBI; Emma Beck 2-4, RBI; Alli Beenken RBI. BCLUW: Callie Swanson 2-2, 2B, RBI; Maliah Gunderson 2 RBI; Cassie Nason 2-3; Emma Hoover 2-4.

BCLUW 12, Grundy Center 2. WP: Katie Hill, 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. LP: Emma Beck, 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. BCLUW: Kaylee Grant 2-5; Maliah Gunderson RBI; Cassie Nason 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Morgan Bergman 2B; Cameron Bergman 2 RBI; Emma Hoover 2B, 2 RBI. GC: Lucy Lebo RBI; Blessing Edittu 2-3, RBI; Paige Strohbehn 2-3.

BCLUW 12, Grundy Center 11. WP: Klayre Gallentine 6.1 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. LP: Lucy Lebo 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. GC: Lucy Lebo 3-5, 3 2B, 2 RBI; Emma Beck 2-5; Alli Beenken 2B, 2 RBI; Carlie Willis 4-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Paige Strohbehn 2 RBI. BCLUW: Kaylee Garnt 3-4, RBI; Callie Swanson RBI; Maliah Gunderson 4-5, 2B, RBI; Cassie Nason 2-4, 2B; Raegan Crawford 2-3.