Comets win final home softball doubleheader against Waukon

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Five-tool players don’t grow on trees.

In fact, many of those few had to have grown into five-tool players themselves.

Charles City senior Payton Hadley has worked hard in her quest to become a five-tool player. With her hitting and fielding having improved steadily over the past few seasons, one area Hadley is currently nurturing to get on par with her other “tools” is her base running.

During game one of Tuesday’s Northeast Iowa Conference softball doubleheader against Waukon, Hadley proved she can help win a game or two while being alert and aggressive on her feet.

Early in the game, Hadley was able to advance a base after escaping a rundown between second and third enabling her to score on a subsequent sacrifice fly.

Several innings later, Hadley scored from third again while eschewing the notion of safety-first softball.

When Indian catcher Brynn Weymiller had to venture from the home-plate area to corral a wayward throw back to the infield, Hadley broke for the plate even though it was an even-money race of who — Hadley or Weymiller — could get their first. It was a dual-all-out-diving photo finish with Hadley getting her hand on the plate just ahead of the tag.

Hadley also did some damage with her bat as her 2-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth ended the first game (10-2) as the former 10-run after five inning rule has been reduced to 8 runs matching the stoppage rule in college.

In the second game, Hadley clubbed her team-leading third home run of the season good for 3 runs en route to a 11-6 Comet victory.

Hadley was one of five Comet seniors honored between games. They included leadoff hitter and center fielder Emerson Bohlen, third baseman Brooklyn Molitor, outfielder Isabelle Vance and first baseman Mya Rimrod.

All of Charles City’s senior had multiple hits during the DH, and contributed with several outstanding and heads-up defensive plays.

In the second game, Bohlen robbed an Indian of extra bases when she snared a deep drive headed for the gap in right-center. The ground Bohlen had to cover with her running catch was greater than the 60 feet she normally travels while accumulating her team-leading stolen base total.

Rimrod also made a good play to limit an Indian bases-loaded threat in the second game. After backhanding a grounder, Rimrod fired to home plate to nip the lead runner rather than — eschewing safety-first softball again — recording the easy out and letting the run score.

Comet freshman Lily Herman was the winning pitcher in both games — a complete-game (6 inn.) victor in the first; a successful long-reliever in the second.

Charles City improved to 14-13 overall and 7-2 in the NEIC. Waukon fell to 4-17 and 0-10.

On Tuesday, Crestwood swept Decorah in a NEIC DH while improving its conference record to 8-1.

The Comets travel to Cresco for a Thursday morning game against the Crestwood Cadets before closing out the regular season with a road NEIC DH against Decorah next Tuesday (July 8) before hosting the same Vikings two days later in the first round of the Class 4A-Region 7 bracket.

Crestwood is due to play New Hampton next Tuesday to close out its NEIC and regular-season schedule, possibly with the final NEIC softball title still on the line before the league disbands.