Sports
Sioux softball endures busy week before regions
Tyler Ohmann
05/14/2013
Another East/West Crossover in Class B softball took place, but this time the west teams traveled east. Westhope-Newburg-Bottineau (WNB) was one of those teams.
The Sioux entered the weekend with a 3-4 record, were unable to improve it, as they had a tough weekend.
WNB went 1-5 losing to all four western opponents and also to Grafton. The Sioux, now 4-9, did get one win in their final game of the weekend a 20-13 victory over Pembina County North.
“Playing six games in a weekend is tough, but no excuses from the Sioux,” stated Sioux coach Layne Fluhrer. “With a lot of errors and a lot of runners left in scoring position (30 on the weekend) it is tough to win games.”
Game one: Grafton 25, WNB 9
The first game was a tough one in the field for the Sioux as they committed nine errors and allowed 25 runs on 11 hits. Junior Ashlyn Huber pitched and received the loss for the Sioux.
Grafton scored in every inning in the five-inning victory, including nine in the second and seven in the fourth.
WNB scored twice in the first, four times in the fourth and three in the top of the fifth, but the bats weren’t enough to play catch up with the Spoilers.
Sophomore Jacie Ceglowski was the leader at the dish as she had two of the Sioux’s four hits, stole two bases and drove in two runs.
Game two: DLB-Berthold 8, WNB 6
Despite a gallant effort in the late-innings the Sioux were unable to overcome an early deficit. DLB-Berthold scored twice in the opening frame and opened a 7-1 lead after the top of the fourth inning.
The Sioux scored once each in the fourth and fifth, and twice in the sixth and seventh, but it wasn’t enough to capture the win. WNB had 10 hits and four errors and pitcher Huber allowed only four hits and struck out five.
At the plate Hadlee Schell went 3-for-4 and stole five bases and scored.
Senior Rylee Lodoen was 3-for-4.
Game three: Watford City 28, WNB 11
Watford City, who the Sioux beat last weekend in Minot, came out firing and scored seven runs in the first and 10 runs in the third to run away with the victory.
Again the Sioux bats got hot late, but it wasn’t nearly enough to dig out of a deep hole.
Much like the prior game the Sioux also out hit their opponents. This time the Sioux had 14 hits, while the Wolves had only 10, but WNB committed five errors.
Senior Becca Christenson was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate for the Sioux and scored two runs, stole three bases and had two runs batted in (RBI).
Also strong from the plate were Ceglowski (2-for-4, two runs) and Schell (2-for-4, run, stolen base and two RBI).
Game four: KeNmare-MLS 25, WNB 5
Kenmare-Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (Kenmare-MLS) opened a flood gate late in the game in Saturday’s opener for both teams.
Kenmare-MLS scored 19 times in the fourth and fifth innings to break away from the Sioux and earn a five-inning win.
Senior Ashley Ryan went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in the win. Huber, pitching in her fourth straight game, took the loss for WNB.
Game five: Central McLean 25, WNB 7
Game five was another five-inning defeat, and against an opponent that WNB has beaten twice this season.
Central McLean clubbed seven hits and took advantage of five Sioux errors to scored all their runs in the first four innings. Eighth grade pitcher Hannah Tofteland took the loss for the Sioux in her second ever varsity start.
WNB made a run with a five-run third inning, and were trailing 16-5 at that point, but Central McLean added nine more runs in the fourth to cinch it.
Schell was the leader again for the Sioux as she went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Game six: WNB 20, Pembina County North 13
Things finally went the way of the Sioux on the weekend in their final game as they clobbered 22 hits to beat Pembina County North 20-13 on Saturday.
“The girls battled through it and ended the sixth game of the weekend with their best,” Fluhrer stated. “This was a big game for the Sioux as it revenge for a loss to the team that beat them in the state qualifier last year.”
Huber picked up the win as she returned to the mound for the fifth time on the weekend. She struck out six and allowed seven hits in five innings.
Huber was battling a back injury all weekend according to the press release from Fluhrer.
“Ashlyn Huber pitched 20 innings this weekend battling through a back injury all weekend,” Fluhrer stated. “She sucked it up and pitched her best game of the weekend helping put the Sioux in position to win the last game of the weekend.”
Ceglowksi was again big at the plate in the win as she went 4-for-5 with four runs, four stolen bases and an RBI. Christenson added a 3-for-4 performance with three runs and an RBI, while Ryan had three hits, two runs and two RBI.
Other Sioux stepped in the game as well including Maddy Lodoen, who was 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI and Lauren Mach, who was 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI.
Schell was a combined 8-for-17 from the plate over the weekend and had seven RBI. Ceglowski and Christenson combined to go for a 17-for-43 over the weekend.
WNB also played a pair of games at home last Tuesday in Westhope against Minot JV. The games did not count for overall record and seniors were given the day off.
The Sioux hosted their final game before regions last night against Turtle Mountain High School.
WNB will host the region tournament in Bottineau on Friday and Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday.
“For the Sioux it is a waiting game now, they are sitting at the sixth seed as of right now, but could change if any upsets occur Monday or Tuesday,” Fluhrer stated.