Comets go 3-0 at MC softball tourney, improve to 22-0

By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com
MASON CITY — With the possible exception for those who run the 50-50 at Charles City home softball games and would likely prefer at least five full innings to sell tickets and six or seven to hold the drawings, these frequent offensive onslaughts unleashed by the Comets resulting in repeated early-inning knockouts can be fun to watch.

More examples of these occurred Saturday at the Mason City Softball Tournament.

Against Osage, the Comets rallied for 10 runs in the third and 3 more in the fourth to bring an abrupt end to a 15-3 final.

Then against Clear Lake, the Comets scored all 11 of their runs through the first three innings before “hanging on” to win after senior starting pitcher Sami Heyer held the Lions hitless and scoreless through five.

But with the postseason getting closer, the Class 4A No. 3-ranked Comets likely need to have their mettle tested in a few more closely contested games this regular season. And in the third game of the tournament, the hosting Mohawks were just what the doctor ordered.

Up 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, Charles City gave up an unearned run after Alicia Hoeft led off the inning with a double down the right-field line and later scored on a throwing error.

With their lead now cut in half, the Comets tacked on 2 insurance runs in their half of the seventh before Heyer sent the Mohawks down with three-straight “K’s” to cap the 4-1 final while improving Charles City’s undefeated record to 22-0.

After striking out 15 and walking two in the Comets’ third win of the day, Heyer became the first softball pitcher in Iowa to reach 20 wins this season.

Freshman Rachel Chambers did a lot of damage in the subsequent wins against the Green Devils and Lions.

Against Osage, Chambers was 2 for 2 with a homer and 5 RBIs; against Clear Lake, Chambers homered again for 2 more RBIs.

Chambers leads the team with eight home runs, but with Mohawk pitcher McKenna Mentink keeping her in the park with a pair of long flyouts, Chambers had to resort to small-ball tactics to help get the Comets on the board against Mason City.

After Liz Fiser led off the third inning with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lydia Staudt, Chambers laid down a successful suicide squeeze that appeared to catch the whole Mohawk infield off-guard for the first run of the game.

Ashlyn Hoeft followed with a bloop single down the right-field line which initially put runners on the corners. But while the Mohawks were getting the ball back to the pitcher, Chambers took advantage of a lapse of attention and raced home without a throw to the plate.

Fiser, Allie Cross and Kiki Connell each had two hits during the win against Mason City.

In the two previous wins against Osage and Clear Lake, Staudt was 7 for 7 including a bases-loaded 3-run triple against the Lions.

Dani Reetz got the win against Osage after yielding 3 earned runs in four innings.

Though not in the circle against the Green Devils, Heyer contributed as a designated hitter with a 3-run homer.

Fiser had six hits during the tournament, Connell had five, and Cross and Heyer each had four.

Charles City is due to travel to Waukon on Monday for an Northeast Iowa Conference matchup.

The Comets are atop the NEIC standings with an 11-0 conference record.