Comets sent to consolation round
CC drops first-round game to Carlisle, 12-0
Press photos by John Burbrdige Charles City shortstop Bailey Mitchell takes a throw that’s too late in preventing Carlisle junior Taylor Dubois from stealing second base.
Comet senior Jamie Sindlinger singles up the middle for what looked to be good enough for a RBI before Sara Martin was thrown out at the plate.
Charles City freshman Samantha Heyer made a brief relief appearance in the fifth inning against Carlisle.
Charles City pitcher Megan Roethler tags out Cortney Joiner trying to score on a passed ball during the first inning.
By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com
FORT DODGE — Coming into the Class 4A State Softball Tournament, Charles City coach Brian Bohlen knew their first-round opponent — top-seeded and top-ranked Carlisle — was a good team.
But he also knows that his Comets are a much better team than what they showed Wednesday at the Harlan and Hazel Sports Complex.
“We didn’t make the plays we normally make,” Bohlen said after the Wildcats sent the Comets to the consolation bracket with a five-inning 12-0 victory.
“Sometimes when you get too tense in trying not to make an error, that’s when you make errors,” Bohlen said. “That cost us.”
The Wildcats took advantage of several errors, hit batsmen and wild pitches while rallying for four and five runs, respectively, in the fourth and fifth innings. And this was a team, with a state-best .440 collective batting average, that doesn’t need help scoring runs.
Junior Agatha Beier led off the game driving a solo shot over well over the left-field fence off Comet starter Megan Roethler.
“She pretty much crushed that ball,” Bohlen said of Beier’s 12th homer of the season.
With the wind briskly blowing out of the ballpark, it was an ominous start for the Comets, especially when Courtney Joiner followed with a double.
But a back-handed snag by Comet shortstop Bailey Mitchell on a hard-hit drive by Mackenzie Lose, and CC catcher Kelby Katcher quickly retrieving a passed ball and throwing out Joiner trying to score with Roethler applying the tag, the Comets got out of the inning with minimal damage.
After a scoreless second inning, Alyssa Brown hit a two-run homer to extend Carlisle’s lead to 3-0 in the third inning before the subsequent rallies put the game out of reach.
Facing 30-game winner Gabby Schnathorst, the Comets weren’t overwhelmed and had several scoring opportunities.
In the second inning, the Comets had runners on second and third with one out threatening to tie and go ahead. But Schnathorst responded with consecutive strikeouts to get out of the inning.
In the fourth inning, Jamie Sindlinger singled up the middle chasing Sara Martin around third in attempt to score. But Wildcat centerfielder Alyvia Dubois threw Martin out at the plate to end the inning.
“Our hitting was good today … that wasn’t the problem,” Bohlen said. “We just need to bounce back and leave here with a 2-1 record.
“We believe we deserve to be down here, and tomorrow we hope to the show that.”
The Comets (24-11) will face Bishop Heelan today at 10 a.m.. The winner of that game plays in the consolation final for fifth place; the loser plays in the seventh-place game. Both placement games are at 4 p.m. today.
Class 4A Quarterfinal
CARLISLE 12, CHARLES CITY 0 (5 inn.)
Scoring By Innings
Carlisle 102 45 — 12 12 0
Charles City 000 00 — 0 4 3
WP — Gabby Schnathorst (Car) 4 IN, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO.
LP — Megan Roethler (CC) 5 IN, 11 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.
Leading Hitters — Charles City: Payton Reams (1-2, BB), Bailey Mitchell (1-2), Jamie Sindlinger (1-2), Sara Martin (1-2); Carlisle: Agatha Beier (1-3, HR), Alyssa Brown (1-4, HR, 2 RBIs), Mackensie Lose (2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs),Schnathorst (2-3, 2B, RBI), Taylor Dubois (2-3).
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