Comets defeat their former ace before winning 10th straight

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Any poker player will tell you that a hand can’t have too many aces — though if you’re caught holding five, someone might accuse you of cheating.

Same could be said for a pitching staff. Still, an ace in hand may be worth more than two stepping over each other’s starting assignments.

Last season, the Charles City Comets softball team appeared to have a long-term ace on their hands in the form of then freshman Keely Anderegg.

Anderegg has since transferred to Osage, but lights-out eighth-grader Addison Ellis has aptly taken her spot in the pitchers’ circle.

Last Thursday, the Comets got to face their former ace when they traveled to Osage for a non-conference game.

Against her former teammates, Anderegg yielded just three hits but they all went for extra bases as junior Payton Hadley went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and freshman Edie Collins hit the other double while helping the Comets win 2-1.

As for Ellis … she yielded just two hits while striking out 11. The only run scored off her was unearned.

The following Friday during a Northeast Iowa Conference home game against Waukon, the Comets won their 10th straight with an 8-0 victory.

Junior Brooklyn Molitor was 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles while driving in 2 runs; Collins had a 2-run home run; leadoff hitter Emerson Bohlen was 2 for 3 and scored twice; and Ellis when the distance in the four-hit shutout while striking out 13 and issuing a rare base on balls.

While Ellis has recorded 140 strikeouts already this season, you can still count her issued walks on one hand (5).

The Comets (11-1, 3-0 NEIC) will try to extend their winning streak even further when they travel to Decorah on Tuesday to take on the Vikings in a conference doubleheader.