Defense, base running pave way to Comets’ 4-0 victory over Cadets

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CRESCO — A series of clutch defensive plays and some gamesmanship along the basepaths enabled the Charles City Comets to pull out a 4-0 away victory over Crestwood in Northeast Iowa Conference softball action Wednesday night.

Charles City starter Megan Roethler and her counterpart Lauren Reicks were matching zeros through five innings, and it appeared that Reicks and the Cadets were going to get out of the sixth inning unscathed.

With two outs in the inning, Charles City’s Bailey Mitchell hit a routine grounder to Cadet shortstop Laken Linnhart, who had been solid all game making plays. But Shae Etherington, who was on second, deftly leaped over the grounder screening Linnhart who let the ball slip through her legs and into the outfield.

Etherington came around to score. Then the next batter, designated hitter Payton Reams, hit an infield single scoring Tayler Schmidt, who had advanced to third from first on Linnhart’s error.

Jamie Sindlinger followed with a bloop single to right field chasing home Mitchell and Reams for what would be the final runs of the game.

Roethler struck out four and walked one for the shutout victory. But while giving up nine hits, she was forced to pitch out of several jams with runners in scoring position and got a lot of help while doing so.

With the bases loaded with Cadets in the third inning, Charles City third baseman Cianna Sonberg gloved a hard-hit line drive from Reicks to end the inning. Sonberg also made a heads-up play in the next inning when she caught a runner on third committing too much toward the plate after Sonberg fielded a grounder and was erased in a subsequent rundown.

Comet right fielder Megan Staudt made a diving catch of ball that glanced off second baseman Mitchell’s glove to foil a bloop single.

And Etherington made a leaping catch in deep centerfield to rob Kaylie Henry of extra bases and to foil another brewing threat from the Cadets.

Etherington, who is the Comets’ leading hitter batting average-wise, was 4-for-4. Sindlinder was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Charles City, which improved to 11-4 overall and 5-3 in the NEIC.

The Comets travel to Waverly-Shell Rock tonight in hopes to avenge — or partially avenge being swept by the Go-Hawks at home in a doubleheader on May 31.

Waverly-Shell Rock is 16-3 overall and is leading the NEIC with a perfect 7-0 record.

Emily Sickles was 3-for-3 and Henry was 2-for-3 with a double for the Cadets (11-5, 6-4).

CHARLES CITY 4, CRESTWOOD 0

Scoring By Innings

CC 000 004 0 — 4 7 1

CW 000 000 0 — 0 9 1

WP — Megan Roethler (CC) 7 IN, 9 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO.

LP — Lauren Reicks (CW) 7 IN, 7 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO.

Leading Hitters — Charles City: Shae Etherington (4-4, run scored), Jamie Sindlinger (2-3, 2 RBIs), Payton Reams (1-3, RBI, run scored); Crestwood: Emily Sickles (3-3), Kaylie Henry (2-3, 2B).