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Power and speed propel Comets past Indians 12-2

Power and speed propel Comets past Indians 12-2
Press photos by John Burbridge
Charles City head coach Brian Bohlen congratulates Ashlyn Hoeft on her 2-run home run as part of decisive 6-run rally against Waukon on Wednesday. It was Hoeft’s eighth homer of the season.

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — During her stellar cross country and track careers at Charles City, Kiki Connell set school records in the 3K and 5K runs.

During Wednesday’s 12-2 home softball win over Waukon, Connell likely set another school land speed record while circling the bases going from home to home for her first varsity home run.

With a runner on in the bottom of the fourth, Connell — hitting from the left side — drilled a liner over Waukon’s drawn-in center fielder all the way to the fence. At that point it wasn’t a question if Connell would get an inside-the-park homer; it was a question of how fast she would complete the circuit.

With a personal-best roundtripper lap of about 11 seconds, Connell helped the Comets eventually run the Indians off the field in six innings as it was part of a 6-run rally that broke open a 2-run game at that point.

Ashlyn Hoeft also homered that inning, but her leisurely pace around the bases didn’t threaten Connell’s PR as her home run to left field landed well outside the park.

Hoeft had three hits including a double, and drove in 4 runs.

Comet junior Lydia Staudt added to her state lead in singles with three more. Staudt also stole four bases — she’s also among the state leaders in that category — and scored twice.

Senior pitcher Dani Reetz picked up her ninth win of the season after giving up 1 earned run in six innings while striking out five and walking one. Reetz also had two hits and 2 RBIs during the win.

Sadie Gebel was 2 for 4 with a 2-run double that stopped the game; Alex Wohlers was 2 for 4 with an RBI double; and Ava Ellis had two hits and a run scored for the Comets

* On Thursday, Charles City relinquished its perch atop the NEIC when it lost a doubleheader to Crestwood in Cresco by scores of 6-5 and 9-6.

The losses dropped the Comets to 15-6 overall and 8-2 in the NEIC as they were Charles City’s first conference losses of the season.

The Cadets improved to 14-4 and 9-2.

Down by 6 runs going into the seventh inning of the second game, the Comets scored 3 runs on Wohlers’s base-loaded double. Charles City eventually had the tying run at the plate, but was held at bay.

Earlier in the second game, Wohlers hit her first varsity home run.

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