March 29, 2024

Tigerhawks Swooped

Following a weekend that had them playing four games in two days at Marshalltown’s tournament held on Friday and Saturday, the girls of Colfax-Mingo returned home to Colfax to take on the South Hamilton Hawks.

The visitors from Jewell have had a very difficult season so far. The Hawks have endured two lengthy losing streaks of five games or more and have struggled to put runs on the board.

On Monday night however, when most other games were postponed due to rainy, wet conditions, a glimmer of sun shone on the Hawks. South Hamilton picked up its seventh win of the season with a 3-2 victory over the Tigerhawks.

Ady Wintermote started the game for the Hawks and got the win. She pitched all seven innings, allowing two runs with three strikeouts. She also walked three batters and gave up nine hits.

Tigerhawk pitcher Amy Russell pitched the entire seven innings, as well, but she didn’t get quite enough support from her offense. Russell recorded two strikeouts and took the loss.

Russell started the game off well, retiring the first two batters in the first innings before allowing a single with two outs. She quickly recovered for the third out on a ground ball out.

The Tigerhawks threatened to score in the bottom of the first inning. The first two batters were retired, but with two outs, senior Sydnie Fahrney walked to give C-M its first baserunner. Sophomore Erin Earles reached on an error by the shortstop to put two runners on, but the Hawks were able to get out of danger by getting sophomore Riley Thompson to ground out.

C-M jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Fahrney singled to start things off. Earles followed that up with a single of her own to put two runners on for Thompson. Thompson got the clutch hit to plate Fahrney and give the Tigerhawks an early lead.

The Hawks responded in the top of the fourth inning with a run of their own to tie the game up at one run apiece.

The Hawks didn’t hang on to that lead for very long, though. C-M eighth grader Alivia Haley singled to put the team up 2-1. The Tigerhakws carried that lead into the final frame, but were unable to hold on.

The Hawks took the lead in the top of the seventh inning on a two-run single by sophomore Carly Swenson.

Earles, Thompson and Jade Lewis each had two hits to tie for the team-lead. Russell and Fahrney each walked.