Panthers shut the door

Comets’ offense stalls against near-perfect Central Springs

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Central Springs’ record is almost as good as Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s

The Panthers came to Sportsmen’s Park Tuesday for a non-conference softball game against hosts Charles City with a near-perfect 29-1 season mark. The Comets were more than hoping to go the distance with the Class 2A powerhouse, and for the most part were in range to pull off an upset.

But the Comets’ offense was unable to string together enough hits to put any runs on the board, and lost, 3-0.

“I feel if we could have just hit the ball today the game would have been ours,” Charles City coach Brian Bohlen said. “Megan (Roethler) pitched another great game for us, but we couldn’t do anything with it.

“Consistency has been a problem for us this season. We have girls who’ll be hitting great for us one game then struggle the next.”

Against Central Springs freshman ace Hannah Ausenhus, the Comets recorded three hits — all doubles by Payton Reams, Tayler Schmidt and Jamie Sindlinder. Schmidt and Sindlingers’ doubles both led off an inning, but both runners were left stranded.

The Panthers first run was a gift. After two out in the top of the fifth, the Comets committed a pair of errors — the second of which came when a ball thrown back into the infield after a single by Anna Dietrich wasn’t secured allowing an unearned run to score.

The Panthers maintained the 1-0 lead until their half of the seventh.

After two outs, Hailee Ausenhus singled. Then left-handed slap hitter Taylor Navratil — who had earlier made Comets pay for drawing in their outfield to the fringes of the infield with a triple over everybody to right field — did it again with another triple (this time to left) chasing Ausenhus home.

Kaylee Parks followed by laying down a successful suicide-squeeze bunt scoring Navratil for what would be the final run of the game.

Charles City fell to 18-8 and will conclude the Northeast Iowa Conference portion of its schedule with an away doubleheader Thursday against Decorah. On Friday and Saturday, the Comets will travel to Iowa City to play in a tournament at the University of Iowa Complex.

“Then we’ll have some time off to get ready for regionals,” Bohlen said. “There is no room for mistakes at that point.”