Indians escape Comet comeback

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Hear about the gambler who claimed he never lost a poker game?

He just ran out of money.

After spotting the upstart Waukon Indians a four-run lead, the Charles City Comets softball team finally got a grasp of the momentum and were on the verge of taking over the game.

They just ran out of innings.

Thus, Waukon was able to hang on and win, 6-5, snapping a five-game losing streak and improving to 6-13 overall and 2-8 in the NEIC.

Down by a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Comets had their top of the order coming up. With one-out, senior Shae Etherington reached on her third bunt single of the night. One out later, Sara Martin stepped to the plate representing the winning run.

Earlier in the first inning, Martin again proved why she is a hazard to any vehicle parked in the alley way beyond the left-field fence as her fifth homer of the year — a solo shot — gave the Comets a 2-1 lead.

Against Indian starter Leslie Sivesind, Martin hit a ball just as hard to right field. But it was a line-shot hit right at the right fielder, who gloved it to end the game.

With the score tied 2-2 after two innings, Audrey Fahey tripled in Regan Wasson and later scored herself on a single by Bethany Stock, putting the Indians up 4-2.

The following inning, Madison Snitker hit a two-run homer off Comet starter Tayler Schmidt to extend the lead to 6-2.

Sivesind got some help from her teammates, who made clutch defensive plays to spoil and contain subsequent Comet threats.

With runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Charles City leadoff hitter Megan Staudt drove a ball up the middle that looked like it was going to get through. But Indian shortstop Wasson managed to range to left to field the ball and throw out Staudt to end the inning.

In the sixth inning, the Comets scored three runs, two of which came from Bailey Mitchell’s two-run bases-loaded single followed by Payton Reams RBI single.

With Mitchell on third, Shantel VanHauen hit a dribbler down the third-base line that looked as if was going to score Mitchell who was racing home.

But Indian third baseman Kaely Benzing got a jump on the play and managed to field the ball barehanding and flip it to catcher Stock, who tagged out Mitchell.

The Comets, who were coming off a 3-0 weekend, fell to 14-6 and 6-5. They will travel to St. Ansgar tonight to take on the Saints.

WAUKON 6, CHARLES CITY 5

Scoring By Innings

W 112 200 0 — 6 9 3

CC 200 003 0 — 5 10 3

WP — Leslie Sivesind (W) 7 IN, 10 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.

LP — Tayler Schmidt (CC) 7 IN, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO.

Leading Hitters — Charles City: Shae Etherington (3-4, 2 runs scored, SB), Bailey Mitchell (2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs), Sara Martin (1-3, HR, 2 runs scored, RBI); Waukon: Madison Snitker (2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored), Bethany Stock (2-3, RBI), Leslie Sivesind (2-3).