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WAUSA — The Hartington Penguins 18U softball team split a doubleheader at Wausa May 30, winning the first game 10-6 and dropping the second game 4-0.
The first-game win was the Penguins’ first of the season as they are now 1-5 on the summer.
Hartington will head to district softball action this weekend when the Penguins travel to Pierce.
“It seems like we start every season kind of slow,” Hartington coach Brice Grutsch said. “We have a lot of girls with jobs and commitments with other sports, so we don’t get a lot of practice time, so we spend the first week or two getting ready for districts. And I am seeing improvement every game.”
In the win over the Vikings, Hartington trailed until the final inning of a threeinning contest called by a time limit.
Wausa took a 2-1 lead after the first inning and extended the advantage to 6-4 after two.
The Penguins erupted for six runs in the top of the third, then held the Vikings scoreless in the bottom of the frame to claim the 10-6 win.
Emilie Claussen was plunked by the Wausa pitcher to open the Hartington half of the third. After an out, Vayda Lippert hit a fly ball and ended up on third base, chasing Claussen home to make it 6-5.
Ali Ford was promptly hit by a pitch, putting runners at the corners.
Ford stole second then Natalee Hart drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
During the next at bat, Lippert stole home before Nora Lange slaps a double down the right field line to score Ford and Hart to make it 8-6.
Two more Penguin batters were hit to re-load the bases and Lange scored by stealing home leaving Myrisa Lammers on second and Kiersten Hans on third.
Hans stole home after a strikeout and the inning ended with a ground out to first.
Hans, who was in the circle for the Penguins, struck out the first batter in the bottom of the inning and got back-to-back ground outs to Jade ford at second and Lippert at first to end the game.
Hans scored in the first inning after being hit by a pitch while Lippert, Hans and Ali Ford scored in the second.
In the second game, Wausa scored four runs in the first inning and it was all they would need in the two-inning contest as the Penguins failed to score and managed just one hit by Jade Ford.
The Hartington Penguins were set to hit the road this week before district play opens June 7.
The Penguins were scheduled to take on Verdigre on June 4 and Randolph on June 6 before heading to Pierce.
Hartington will be at home June 11 with Wakefield before another date with Randolph on June 13.
Hartington Penguins 18U defeats Wausa 10-6 HAR136XXXX-1030 WAU240XXXX-650 WP: Kiersten Hans LP: Tierney. 2B: Nora Lange (H). 3B: Vayda Lippert (H); Ainsley, Aleah (W). Wausa defeats Hartington Penguins 4-0 HAR00XXXXX -013 WAU40XXXXX-430 WP: UK LP: Alexys Hahne 2B: Eckert (W). 3B: Privett (W).
