Knights Week Ends With Victory Over Central Elkader

SPRINGVILLE — The North Cedar softball team concluded a busy six-game week with their fifth win of the year. North Cedar beat Central Elkader 13-0 in five innings in game two of two at the Springville tournament. The win gave North Cedar a 5-8 overall record, tying their season best win-total in the past five seasons at five games. The Knights have topped out at five wins in three of the past five seasons. North Cedar almost

North Cedar scored six runs combined in the first three innings to take a 6-0 lead. That score held until the top of the fifth when North Cedar put up a season best run total per inning, with 7. Those runs gave the Knights the runs they needed to end the game early, by the 10-run mercy rule.

North Cedar had 11 hits in the game with three players collecting multi-hit games. Carly Meier was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI while Alyssa Barnhart and Kassidie Galloway each were 2-for-4. Barnhart hit her first home run of the season and drove in three runs. Katie Thompson had a double and 2 RBI’s while Meier, Kayla Syring, Galloway, and Emma Boleyn each had RBI’s.

In game one, North Cedar fell 6-4 to Springville. The Orioles scored the first runs with a five-run top of the fourth inning. Springville took a 6-0 run before the Knights would get on the scoreboard. That came in the bottom of the fifth when North Cedar scored four runs to set the score at 6-4.

North Cedar had seven hits in the game by six different players. Katie Thompson was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI’s to lead the Knights. Barnhart, Kendall Smith, Hefflefinger, Kayla Syring and Carly Meier each had hits. Meier and Syring each had RBI’s.

Alyssa Hefflefinger took the loss after working 4 2/3 innings. She gave up six runs on seven hits. She struck out one and walked two.

Knights Held To Three Runs In Monticello Doubleheader
MONTICELLO — The North Cedar softball team played four conference games last week, all on the road. The Knights began the four-game stretch with a doubleheader at Monticello on Monday, June 3. There, the Panthers limited the Knights to three runs in sweeping the two games.

In game one, North Cedar fell 5-1. Monticello led 2-0 after the second inning, but North Cedar cut the lead in half with a RBI double by Kate Jackson in the top of the fourth to set the score at 2-1. Monticello dashed comeback hopes by the Knights in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs to set the score at 5-1.

Jackson’s hit was one of three for North Cedar in the game. Kayla Syring and Jenna Syring had the other two. Alyssa Heffelfinger took the loss after six innings. She gave up 5 runs on 7 hits.

Monticello won the nightcap 11-2. North Cedar stranded seven runners on base in the game, many of which were in scoring position. Monticello took control of the game in the bottom of the first inning, scoring seven runs on six hits. The Knights scored their only runs of the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Panther lead to 10-2.

Kendall Smith took the loss after working six innings. She gave up 10 hits, walked 6 and struck out one batter. Alyssa Heffelfinger led North CEdar at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Smith, Alyssa Barnhart, Carly Meier, and Kassidie Galloway all had hits.

Regina’s Bracken Too Nearly Unhittable By Knights
IOWA CITY — The Knights got their chance at Class 2A No. 5 Iowa City Regina to pull off the shocking upset on Tuesday, June 4. However, Regal ace, senior pitcher Katie Bracken held the Knights nearly without a hit in the Regals 6-0 win. Bracken allowed only an Alyssa Barnhart single in the fourth inning as the only North Cedar hit. Bracken won her fifth game and lowered her ERA in conference games to 0.57 which leads the RVC South. She struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.

Regina led 1-0 after the first and 3-0 after the second inning. Regina extended their lead to 4-0 after four innings and tacked on two runs in the sixth to set the score at 6-0.

Alyssa Heffelfinger took the loss after working six innings. She struck out three, walked five and gave up six runs on five hits.

Second Straight Ranked Foe Defeats Knights
DURANT — Facing their second straight Class 2A top-5 team on the road, the North Cedar Knight softball team fell 11-0 to No. 2 Durant in Durant on June 6. There, the Knights fell 11-0 in five innings.

North CEdar had six hits in the game. Katie Thompson was 2-for-2 while Kayla Syring, Alyssa Hefflefinger, Kassidie Galloway and Kendall Smith all had hits. Jenna Syring also reached base via a walk. Heffelfinger took the loss after 4 2/3 innings of work. She gave up 11 runs on 11 hits and struck out two batters.

Durant scored all 11 runs in three of the five innings. Durant broke a scoreless game with a 4-run second. The Wildcats extended their lead to 6-0 with two runs in the third. Durant put the game away in the fifth inning when they scored five runs.

Shannon Head had three hits and 5 RBI’s and a triple. Hannah Happ added two hits and 2 RBI’s. Ruby Kappeler added a hit 2-run triple. Jenna Lawson was the winning pitcher after working five innings to get the win. She gave up six hits and no runs while striking out six and walking one.