Prep Softball: Lady Pirates swept by Bertha-Hewitt

Bertha-Hewitt capitalized on nine Verndale errors in the first game and hammered out 10 hits in the second to capture the Park Region Conference sweep over the Lady Pirates on Tuesday.

The Bears erased a 2-0 deficit with two runs in the fifth and scored three runs in the top of the seventh behind a slew of Lady Pirate miscues to escape with the 5-4 victory in the first game.

Brooke Selvey’s one-out RBI single broke open the 2-2 game. The Bears scored two runs on an error and nearly got another after Mariah Elgin lined a single but Paige Borst was thrown out at home.

Verndale’s rally in the home half of the frame fell short as Elizabeth Johnson singled and scored on Lizzy Yungbauer’s triple. Kirsten Korfe plated the final run on a RBI groundout.

The Bears wasted little time establishing control in the nightcap by erupting for six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Aeling hightlighted the frame with a two-run single and both Trenda Schwantz and Morgan Kapphahn provided additional run support with one-baggers.

Bertha-Hewitt scattered 10 hits in the contest and drove the Lady Pirates starting pitcher Jenny Swenson from the circle in the fourth. Swenson was tagged for both losses and finished with 12 strikeouts.

Offensively, Yungbauer went 4-for-8 with a run, a double, a triple and one RBI to lead Verndale at the plate. Johnson went 2-for-4 with a run in the game one loss. Both Korfe and Teresa Moenkedick laced doubles and drove in a run in the game two loss.

Aeling struck out 13 batters to pick up the game one victory and provided additional spark for the Bears with her bat. The junior finished 4-for-7 with a run and three RBIs. Kapphahn went 2-for-2 with two runs, a double and RBI in the Bears’ game two win.

Verndale (1-12) hosts Brandon-Evansville at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Bertha-Hewitt at Verndale on May 3
Bears 5, Lady Pirates 4 (Game One)
Bertha-Hewitt 0 0 0 0 2 0 3—5 6 1
Verndale 2 0 0 0 0 0 2—4 5 9
WP: Autumn Aeling (BH) 7IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, 4BB, 13K
LP: Jenny Swenson (V) 7IP, 6H, 5R, 2ER, 0BB, 8K
Bertha-Hewitt—Trenda Schwantz 0-4, RBI; Morgan Kapphahn 1-4; Aeling 2-3, R; Brooke Selvey 0-3, R, RBI; Hannah VanHale 1-3, 2R, RBI; Deanna Mikkelson 1-2; Mariah Elgin 1-1, R
Verndale—Elizabeth Johnson 2-4, R; Lizzy Yungbauer 2-4, R, 2B, 3B, RBI; Kirsten Korfe 0-2, R, RBI; Teresa Moenkedick 0-2, R; Jenny Swenson 0-4, RBI; Mara Kern 1-2

Bears 9, Lady Pirates 4 (Game Two)
Verndale 1 0 0 1 2 0 0—4 5 3
Bertha-Hewitt 1 6 0 2 0 0 x—9 10 3
WP: Christine Moenkedick (BH) 4IP, 4H, 4R, 1ER, 1BB, 5K
LP: Jenny Swenson (V) 4IP, 10H, 9R, 6ER, 2BB, 4K
Verndale—Johnson 0-3, R; Yungbauer 2-4; Korfe 1-4, R, 2B, RBI; Moenkedick 2-3, R, 2B, RBI
Bertha-Hewitt—Schwantz 2-4, R, RBI; Kapphahn 2-2, 2R, 2B, RBI; Moenkedick 1-4, R, RBI; Aeling 2-4, R, 3RBI; Selvey 1-4, R; VanHale 2-3, R