Wildcats divide conference games

Baseball

     Maquoketa Valley split four Tri-Rivers Conference baseball games last week, and went 2-3 overall in that span.

     The Wildcats (6-4, 6-5) swept a doubleheader at Springville June 7, winning 6-4 and 16-2, the latter in five innings. MV had 10 hits in the opener. Parker Sternhagen and Toby Grimm both went 2-for-3, and Tony Offerman was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. T.J. Cook was 1-for-2 with a triple. Sternhagen was the starting pitcher and got the win, working four innings and striking out six. Grimm pitched the last three and picked up a save.

     Offerman pitched a gem to get the win in the second game, a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts, no earned runs and just one walk. Sternhagen batted 3-for-5 with a triple, a double and five runs batted in. Offerman was 3-for-5 with a double. Tim Harman and Michael Schaul both went 2-for-3; Schaul had a double and two RBIs. Preston Roling was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

     On June 10, MV played host to Alburnett, and lost both ends of a doubleheader, 17-3 in five innings and 4-2. In the first game, the Pirates scored 17 runs in the top of the first inning. The Wildcats had nine hits. Grimm was 2-for-2, and Sternhagen was 2-for-3 with two doubles. Offerman had two RBIs.

     In the second game, all the runs for both teams were scored in the first inning. MV again had nine hits, with Offerman going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Cook also going 2-for-4. Starting pitcher Michael Schaul worked six innings, allowing seven hits and striking out four. Nathan Beitz pitched the seventh inning for MV.

     The Wildcats then traveled to Monticello for a non-conference game June 11, and lost 11-9. MV took an early 3-0 lead, but Monticello answered with 11 runs over the next three innings, only one of them earned. The ‘Cats battled back to within two runs in the sixth inning, but couldn’t come closer.

     MV had 15 hits, led by Offerman, who was 4-for-5. Getting two hits each were Sternhagen, Schaul and Grimm. Offerman pitched three innings of shutout relief, with five strikeouts and no walks, to allow the ‘Cats to narrow the gap.

Softball

     Maquoketa Valley had six softball games in last week’s action, all within the Tri-Rivers Conference.

     The Wildcats (2-10, 4-11) played at Springville June 7, and lost by scores of 9-5 and 6-5. In the first game, the teams were tied 5-5 through three innings, but the Orioles scored in the fourth and added three more in the fifth. MV had five hits, including a double by Erin Knipper. Abbie Sheehy pitched and took the loss.

     In the second game, the ‘Cats had six hits. Jada Knipper went 2-for-4. Leah Ries hit a double.

     In a June 8 doubleheader at Bellevue Marquette, Maquoketa Valley lost 12-0 in five innings, and 10-4. The Wildcats were held to two hits in the first game, singles by Carissa Sabers and Erin Knipper.

     Marquette took control of the second game with a six-run fourth inning to grab a 9-4 lead. MV collected seven hits. Jada Knipper batted 2-for-4 with two doubles, and Payton Beaman also went 2-for-4. Sabers had a double and two RBIs. Erin Knipper doubled as well. Sheehy pitched for the Wildcats.

     MV returned home to play Alburnett, and lost by scores of 5-1 and 6-3. Alburnett’s three-run sixth inning was the difference in the first game. Erin Knipper batted 2-for-3 including a solo home run. Macy Thompson, Jada Knipper and Sheehy shared pitching duties, with Sheehy taking the loss.

     The Pirates won the second game with a three-run seventh inning. Erin Knipper’s double was one of MV’s three hits; Taya Tucker and Beaman had singles. Sheehy pitched and was dealt the loss.