Softball Recap: Eleva-Strum's Winning Streak Snapped at Four Games

Cardinals

Previous 5 Games

05/12/26 @ Independence/Gilmanton	2-4
05/11/26 vs Ellsworth	2-0
05/08/26 vs Whitehall	10-0
05/05/26 vs Pepin/Alma	6-5
05/04/26 @ Osseo-Fairchild	2-0

Eleva-Strum dropped down to 8-6 on Tuesday, ending the team's four-game streak of wins. They fell just short of the Independence/Gilmanton Indees by a score of 4-2. The Cardinals were not able to repeat the success they had when they faced the Indees earlier this season, when they won 3-1.

Ruby Bartholomew put in work while hitting and pitching. She struck out 13 batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Bartholomew wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Maddea Brown, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.

As for Independence/Gilmanton, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games.

On Independence/Gilmanton's side, Hailey Gruber spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits.

On the hitting side, Hannah Ekern and Hadley Sylla did most of the damage at the plate: Ekern went 2-for-3 with two triples and one run, while Sylla went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those two triples gave Ekern a new career-high. Celia Slaby also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Eleva-Strum will square off against rival Melrose-Mindoro at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (the Cardinals 2.8, the Mustangs 3.4) so any runs scored will be well earned. Meanwhile, Independence/Gilmanton is set to face off against their familiar foe Osseo-Fairchild at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.