Inexperienced Tigerhawks can’t overcome mistakes in SICL losses

COLFAX — A slow start and a few defensive miscues put the Colfax-Mingo softball team behind several runs early during its South Iowa Cedar League contest against Belle Plaine on Monday.

The Tigerhawks committed two errors in the game and the Lady Plainsmen took advantage with three runs in the first and two more in the second during a 7-2 road victory.

“My perception and disappointment today was we didn’t come here ready to play,” Colfax-Mingo head softball coach Bryan Poulter said. “We fell behind early and our offense has had a hard time putting many runs together outside of the Baxter game.”

The Tigerhawks (2-10, 1-8 in the conference) were out-hit 8-5 in the loss. Emma Cook singled and Lily Webster reached on an error in the second, but a double play before that hindered the scoring threat.

In the fourth, Dakota Allen was hit by a pitch before Macie Porter reached an error.

Cook and Kaylee Collins were hit by pitches between a Webster single, but the inning ended on a fielder’s choice. Allen scored on a wild pitch, but Porter was thrown out trying to score on passed ball.

Brianna Freerksen walked and scored on an RBI single by Porter in the fifth, but that’s all the Tigerhawks could muster offensively.

Olivia Rausch doubled, Victoria Woods had the other hit and Katelyn Steenhoek walked in the contest.

Brooklyn Yanske took the pitching loss after allowing five runs — none earned — on five hits with four strikeouts in three innings.

Freerksen spun the final four innings and surrendered two runs — none earned — on three hits and two hit batters. She struck out six.

“The defense is a work in progress,” Poulter said. “We started out tonight by giving them three runs on things we helped with. We had a dropped third strike that we didn’t get the out on with two outs and that runner ended up scoring, too.”

Ava Grieder led Belle Plaine (5-5, 5-2) with three hits, two runs and four RBIs. Denisyn Adams tallied three hits and two RBIs and Ellie Hosek chipped in two hits and two runs.

Keota 13, Colfax-Mingo 10

KEOTA — Freerksen had four hits and the Tigerhawks out-hit Keota in the game, but Colfax-Mingo couldn’t overcome four errors and a seven-run fifth frame from the Eagles during a 13-10 road loss on Wednesday.

The Tigerhawks led 4-3 after one and 6-4 after four, but the Eagles plated seven in the fifth and two in the sixth to pull away. C-M scored three in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.

Colfax-Mingo out-hit the Eagles 14-8 and took advantage of three Keota errors.

Freerksen added one run, one RBI and two steals to her four hits. She leads the Tigerhawks with a .419 batting average and has a team-best 15 total bases.

Porter, Rausch and Woods all had two hits, while Allen, Webster, Collins and Sydney Veasman had the other hits.

Rausch added two runs, one RBI and one steal, Porter doubled, had one run and one RBI and Woods chipped in two runs, one walk and one steal. Rausch leads the team with 11 runs scored.

Allen doubled, scored one run and had two RBIs and was hit by one pitch, Veasman finished with two runs, one RBI and one walk, Collins had one hit and one run and Cook delivered one RBI.

Allen and Freerksen lead the team with eight RBIs each.

The Tigerhawks used three pitchers to get through six innings. Freerksen (1-4) tossed two frames and took the loss after allowing nine runs — two earned — on five hits, two walks and two hit batters. She struck out four.

Yanske tossed 3 1/3 innings and surrendered one unearned run on three hits and one walk and struck out two. Allen got one out and allowed three earned runs on two walks and one hit batter and struck out one.

Keota (1-7, 1-7) scored 13 runs on just eight hits because it walked five times and was hit by three pitches.

English Valleys 11, Colfax-Mingo 0

COLFAX — The Tigerhawks were limited to one hit and committed six errors during an 11-0, five-inning loss to English Valleys on Friday.

Colfax-Mingo trailed 2-0 after one but allowed six runs in the second and three in the fifth.

Rausch had the lone hit and Allen drew one walk. The Tigerhawks struck out nine times.

Yanske took the loss in the circle after allowing eight runs — two earned — on four hits, two walks and one hit batter. She struck out three in two innings.

Freerksen pitched three innings and allowed three runs — two earned — on three hits and two walks and she fanned two.

Ada Mews led English Valleys (8-2, 6-2) with two hits and three RBIs and Kennedy Axmear added two hits and earned the pitching win after striking out nine and allowing one hit and one walk over five innings.

Tigerhawks lose twice at Madrid tournament

MADRID — Colfax-Mingo was limited to 10 hits and eight errors in its two games at the Madrid tournament on Saturday.

The Tigerhawks fell behind the host Tigers early and never recovered during a 10-0 loss and then couldn’t overcome another slow start in a 16-3 loss to Nevada.

Porter, Rausch, Woods and Yanske had one hit each against Madrid. Freerksen took the pitching loss after allowing 10 runs — six earned — on 12 hits, six walks and one hit batter. She also fanned six in five innings.

Claire Knudsen led Madrid (7-9) with a homer, two hits, two runs and two RBIs. Brooklyn Murry earned the pitching win.

Nevada plated 13 runs in the first and never looked back in the other game. Colfax-Mingo’s run came in the third, but the game ended after the inning thanks to the mercy rule.

Freerksen led the Tigerhawks with two hits and one run, Allen and Rausch each had one hit and one run and Woods finished with one hit and one RBI and she was hit by one pitch. Katelyn Steenhoek added one hit and two RBIs.

Yanske (1-6) took the pitching loss after getting just one out in the circle. She allowed 10 runs — four earned — on six hits, one walk and one hit batter. She struck out one and the Tigerhawks were plagued by four errors.

Allen tossed two innings and surrendered six runs — four earned — on four hits, one walk and one hit batter. She struck out three.

Nevada (4-10) hit three home runs in the win. Megan McGaffin belted her seventh, while Jadyn Melohn homered and had three hits, three runs and four RBIs.