Wildcats nab four out of six contests

Baseball

Four wins in six games made last week a successful one for the Maquoketa Valley baseball team. 

On June 10 the Wildcats (4-2, 9-5) played host to Springville and swept a doubleheader, winning 8-5 and 5-3. MV took control early in the first game, jumping to a 7-1 lead through four innings and then holding off a late rally. The ‘Cats totaled 11 hits. Parker Sternhagen was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and two stolen bases. Blake Becker went 2-for-4 with a double. Owen Mensen had two RBIs. Jon Seibert and Norm Wilson shared pitching duties, with Seibert working 4 2/3 innings to get the win. 

A four-run first inning was the difference for MV in the nightcap. The Wildcats led 5-0 through three innings on the way to the win. Michael Schaul batted 2-for-2, while Sternhagen and Wilson were both 2-for-3. Wilson had two doubles; Sternhagen, Schaul and Seibert had one apiece. Sternhagen pitched 4 2/3 innings to get the win, allowing just two hits and striking out nine. Andrew Holtz and Wilson pitched in relief; Wilson picked up a save. 

Next came a doubleheader at Alburnett June 13, where the Wildcats lost by scores of 15-0 in four innings and 11-2. MV had just two hits in the first game, a double by Sternhagen and a single by Wilson. Becker started and took the loss. 

Sternhagen went 3-for-4 in the second game, and Wilson was 2-for-3. Holtz was the losing pitcher. 

Next was a June 14 home doubleheader against Central City in Delhi, in which MV won 6-5 and 15- 3, the latter in five innings. Maquoketa Valley had eight hits in the first game, led by A.J. Ambundo, 2-for-3; and Seibert, 2-for-4. Sternhagen, pitching in relief of Seibert and Wilson, worked the seventh inning and got the win. 

MV collected 15 hits in the second game. Wilson and Becker had three hits apiece, while Schaul and Ambundo had two hits each. Becker and Ambundo each drove in three runs; Ambundo had two doubles. Those with two RBIs apiece included Wilson, Schaul and Holtz. Sternhagen pitched the first three innings to get the win; Mensen worked the last two. 

Softball 

An eight-game week produced two wins for the Maquoketa Valley softball team last week. 

Maquoketa Valley (5- 7, 9-15) split a home doubleheader against Springville June 10 in Delhi, winning 2-1 and losing 13- 5. Rylie Aldrich pitched for the win

in the first game, allowing six hits and striking out two. MV had 10 hits. Allie Knipper went 3-for-3, Leah Ries was 2-for-3 with a double, and Maddy Anderegg was 2-for-3. Taya Tucker and Brooke Elgin both doubled. 

The second game was close – Springville led 7-5 through six innings – until the Orioles scored six runs in the top of the seventh. Payton Beaman, Anderegg and Elgin had two hits apiece. Tucker and Elgin had doubles. Beaman pitched and took the loss. 

On June 13, Maquoketa Valley traveled to Alburnett for a doubleheader, and lost by scores of 16-6 in six innings, and 10-2. Alburnett’s 12-run burst in the third through fifth innings broke the first game open. The Wildcats did have 14 hits, led by Anderegg and Knipper both of whom were 3-for-4 with a double. Getting two hits each were Maddie Lahr, Leah Ries and Krista Ries. Aldrich was the losing pitcher. 

The Wildcats had 10 hits in the second game, as Carissa Sabers and Tucker both went 2-for-3. Knipper pitched and took the loss for MV. 

Maquoketa Valley then competed in the West Delaware Tournament June 14-15, winning one of four games. The Wildcats split two games on Friday, losing to Williamsburg 13-1 in five innings, and shutting out Crestwood 4-0. 

Against Williamsburg, the Wildcats had four hits, including a 2-for-2 effort from Beaman. A seven-run fourth inning for Williamsburg broke the game open.

Aldrich pitched a six-hit shutout against Crestwood. The Wildcats scored two runs in both the first and second innings to take early control. Anderegg was 2-for-3 with a double, Beaman batted 2-for-3, Lahr drove in two runs, and Tucker hit a double. 

On Saturday, MV opened with an 11-2 loss to Edgewood- Colesburg, in which the Vikings scored in each of the first six innings. The Wildcats had three hits. Knipper and Aldrich shared pitching duties, with Knipper taking the loss. 

The Wildcats closed the tournament with a tough 2-1 loss to Dubuque Wahlert, with Wahlert scoring the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. MV was held without a hit in the game. Beaman pitched for the ‘Cats.