Softball Recap: Hiawatha Comes Up Short

Hiawatha had lost four straight on the road, but on Wednesday they dropped their record down to 0-9 to make it five. They came up short against the Forreston Cardinals, falling 19-4. That's two games in a row now that the Hawks have lost by exactly 15 runs.

Hiawatha saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Brielle Molloy, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That run marked the first that Molloy has scored this season. Nelly Delvalle was another, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one run.

As for Forreston, their win ended a nine-game drought at home and bumped them up to 3-15. Considering their hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.

On Forreston's side, Emma Hundertmark made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Hundertmark has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with three RBI and one run.

In other pitching news, Kylie Dieterman looked comfortable as she struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. Those eight strikeouts gave her a new career-high.

Back at the plate, Nevaeh Scheffner was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Caroline Bawinkel, who went 3-for-4 with two triples, five RBI, and two runs.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hiawatha will venture away from home to challenge Alden-Hebron at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. As for Forreston, they will head out to take on Durand at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Bulldogs' pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so the Cardinals' hitters will have their work cut out for them.