Win Streak Reaches A Dozen For Durant

By Ryan Stonebraker

Sports Editor

  CEDAR RAPIDS — Rain forced the cancellation of the first of a two-day tournament at the Linn-Mar, but Durant played twice on Saturday, winning both games to run their win streak to 12 games. The Wildcats improved to 22-2 with the wins. The Wildcats improved to 5-1 in weekend tournaments to date. The Wildcats beat class 4A No. 11 Cedar Rapids Xavier 2-1 and RVC North foe Northeast 8-2.

2A #1 Durant 2, 4A #11 Cedar Rapids Xavier 1
  The Durant softball won their first game of two at the Linn-Mar tournament on Saturday against class 4A No. 11 Cedar Rapids Xavier.
  Xavier came into the tournament having lost five straight games. The Saints left five batters on base in the game and had two of those runners in scoring position. Durant left six batters on base with four of those runners in scoring position.
  Kamryn Meyer pitched a 4-hitter and struck out five and walked one batter. The Wildcat offense was carried by the lower half of the batting order. Kylie Schult was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Jada Rock was 2-for-2 with a RBI. Schule bats 7th and Rock 8th in the batting order. Hannah Happ and Kamryn Meyer each had hits.
  Maria Steffen was the losing pitcher after six innings of work. She walked four and gave up two runs. Charlotte Richards was 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead the Saints offense.
  Durant opened the scoring with a run in the first and held that 1-0 lead until the Saints tied the game in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Durant took the game when Jada Rock hit a one-out RBI single scoring Kylie Schult.

2A #1 Durant 8, Northeast 2
  The Durant Wildcats had a tougher time with Northeast than the final score indicated. The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth. There, Durant sent 12 batters to the plate and scored 7 runs. Durant had half of their 12 hits in the game in the inning including doubles from Ruby Kappeler, Kira Schult and Mallory Warner.
  Durant scored a single run in the top of the sixth to take an 8-0 lead. The Rebels pushed two runs across the plate in the bottom of the seventh to set the score at 8-2. 
  Kamryn Meyer was the winning pitcher after working four innings and striking out eight batters. Jenna Lawson pitched the final two innings in relief. Meyer retired seven Rebels at one point and gave up the only three hits of the game in the sixth. Meyer retired Northeast in order in three of the first five innings. 
  Durant had 12 hits in the game. Meyer led at the plate too, going 4-for-4 with 3 RBI’s. Ruby Kappeler and Kira Schult each had two hits and a RBI. The Wildcats 2-3-4 hitters were a combined 8-for-12 with two doubles and five RBI’s. Mallory Warner, Paige Werthmann, Jalyn Bullard and Jada Rock all had hits in the game.
  Alexis Ehlers took the loss after working six innings. She gave up eight hits and walked one. Claire Abbott had RBI single to lead Rebel batters.