Comets hit the ground running with back-to-back wins

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Several key players from Charles City’s softball team were state track and field meet qualifiers.

With the state meet concluding this past weekend and the softball season starting the following Monday, there wasn’t much time for transition.

Nonetheless, the Comets have hit the ground running … and hitting … and hitting and running as they just won back-to-back one-side non-conference games to start the season.

On Monday, the Comets traveled to Osage and got things going right out of the blocks to rout the Green Devils, 18-5, before hosting North Butler on Tuesday for their home-opening and winning 11-1.

Both games were stopped after five innings.

“We’re hitting the ball well so far, but there’s always room for improvement,” said Comet head coach Brian Bohlen, whose team will be vying to make it to the state tournament for the third straight summer.

“But we don’t want to get complacent. Our girls have been holding themselves accountable during practices … making sure the work gets done at every station.”

In less than 10 full innings — or rather half-innings at bat — the Comets have rapped 32 hits, 12 of which for extra bases.

One Comet who is particularly hot is senior Payton Reams, who has been 6 for 7 over the past two days with a home run, two doubles and 9 RBIs.

Charles City senior Tayler Schmidt, who will continue to be Reams’s teammate at North Iowa Area Community College next spring, was the winning pitcher against the Green Devils and put the Comets up for good against the Bearcats with a 2-run shot in the first inning after North Butler scored its lone run in their half of the frame.

Junior Sami Heyer, who has made a verbal commitment to play Division 1 softball for the University of Northern Iowa, made her season debut against the Bearcats, striking out nine and yielding just one hit and two walks — the run scored against her was unearned.

Heyer also was 3 for 4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and an RBI.

Freshman Allie Cross had five hits during the past two games, including a pair of doubles against Osage; senior Ciana Sonberg had a total of four hits including doubles in both games; freshman Kiki Connell was 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs against the Bearcats; and senior catcher Kelby Katcher threw out two would-be base stealers during the win against North Butler.

The Comets are due to play their third game in as many days when they travel to Turkey Valley on Wednesday (weather permitting).

CHARLES CITY 11, NORTH BUTLER 1

NB AB  R  H BI  CC AB  R  H BI

Morgan Arjes      1  0  0  0  Lisabeth Fiser        4  1  1  0

Katelin Barth    1  0  0  0  Ciana Sonberg         3  2  2  1

Marcy Jacobs    2  0  0  0  Tayler Schmidt        4  2  1  2

Nicole Heeren    1  0  0  0  Sami Heyer            4  0  3  1

Abbie Wise            1  0  1  0  Allie Cross           3  1  2  0

Alexis Stirling       2  0  0  0  Payton Reams      3  1  3  4

Molly Adelmund  2  0  0  0  Madeline Peters     3  1  1  0

Alex Mathers        2  0  0  0  Kiki Connell          2  1  2  2

Brooke Trees     2  0  0  0   Rachel Chambers  1  0  0  0

Kristin Dralle      1  0  0  0  Kelby Katcher         3  0  1  1

*Alexis Miller        0  1  0  0  *Alex Litterer        0  2  0  0

TOTALS         15  1  1  0  TOTALS              30 11 16 11

NORTH BUTLER          100 00 — 1

CHARLES CITY 610 22 — 11

LOB–NORTH BUTLER 1, CHARLES CITY 7.

ERR–Abbie Wise, Morgan Arjes, Allie Cross. 2B–Sami Heyer (2), Madeline Peters, Payton Reams, Ciana Sonberg. HR–Tayler Schmidt. SB–Alex Litterer, Allie Cross, Kiki Connell, Payton Reams, Ciana Sonberg.

NORTH BUTLER          IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR

Alex Mathers                   4.33   16   11   10    1    3    1

CHARLES CITY      

Sami Heyer                     5.00    1    1    0    2    9    0

PB–Nicole Heeren, Kelby Katcher (2). SO–Nicole Heeren, Kristin Dralle, Alex Mathers, Marcy Jacobs (2), Alexis Stirling (2), Brooke Trees, Morgan Arjes, Rachel Chambers, Allie Cross, Kelby Katcher. BB–Abbie Wise, Nicole Heeren, Ciana Sonberg.

CHARLES CITY 18, OSAGE 5

CC AB  R  H BI  OSAGE AB  R  H BI

Lisabeth Fiser  5  2  2  0  Katelyn Halbach       3  1  0  0

Ciana Sonberg   4  2  2  1  Shelby Blake          3  1  1  1

Tayler Schmidt     4  2  2  1  Olivia Dodd           2  0  0  0

Cora Crooks  2  3  1  2  Gabby Schwarting      3  0  0  0

Alex Litterer   2  2  0  1  Kourtney Chambers    2  1  2  1

Allie Cross          4  2  3  3  Melanie Bye           2  1  0  0

Payton Reams  4  2  3  5  Sammi Scharper      2  0  0  0

Madeline Peters   2  2  2  1  A Halbach             2  0  1  0

Emma Grimm     3  0  1  2  Kate Mostek           2  0  1  0

*Carly Stevens  0  1  0  0  *Jacy Hovde           0  1  0  0

TOTALS       30 18 16 16  TOTALS               21  5  5  2

CHARLES CITY          376 020 — 18

OSAGE 032 00x — 5 

LOB–CHARLES CITY 4, OSAGE 2. ERR–Allie

Cross, Emma Grimm, Kourtney Chambers. 2B–Allie Cross (2), Madeline Peters, Payton Reams, Ciana Sonberg, Shelby Blake, Kate Mostek, Kourtney Chambers. HR–Payton Reams. HBP–Madeline Peters, Emma Grimm. SB–Lisabeth Fiser (3), Allie Cross, Madeline Peters (2), Melanie Bye.

CHARLES CITY            IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR

Tayler Schmidt                 5.00    5    5    1    1   10    0

OSAGE             

A Halbach                      5.00   16   18   18    5    1    1

PB–Emma Grimm (3), Kate Mostek. WP–Tayler Schmidt (3), A Halbach (2). SO–Alex Litterer, Olivia Dodd (2), Kate Mostek, Sammi Scharper (2), Gabby Schwarting (3), Katelyn Halbach (2). BB–Alex Litterer (2), Madeline Peters, Cora Crooks (2), Olivia Dodd.