With two victories under their belts, the St. Clair/Loyola Spartans softball team began their season on the right note. The team entered their opening matchup against JWP on Tuesday, April 2 with a refreshed mentality as new head coach Ashley Sander and Co were excited to get on the field, “The girls were excited to get our first game in”, explained Sander. The Spartans got into a battle of the bats with the Bulldogs as the 24 runs were scored in the 13-11 victory. Addison Nicolai went 2 for 3 at the plate (a triple and double), scored two runs, batted in 2 RBIs; Maria Miller scored two runs, batted in 3 RBIs, and netted a double; Adeline Lotton also knocked in two RBIs. Additionally, the Spartans were lethal on the basepath as they stole six bases which sparked a six-run second inning.
Sander was ecstatic the team got off to a hot start offensively and praised the team’s acceptance of getting back to the basics of hitting. “We worked incredibly hard on the fundamentals at the plate; those small adjustments we made during practice and tee time pay off in a game and these girls embraced it.”
Lydia Klaseus was on the mound for the Spartans and pitched all seven innings and finished with eight strikeouts, three walks, and four earned runs. With a high-octane performance to secure their first victory of the season, Sander had plenty of praise for her team and hopes the win can help build momentum. “I’m incredibly proud of how these girls played today; they never let a bad moment during the game get into their heads, and that can make a difference for a team. I am extremely excited to see how the rest of our season builds off this victory!”
The second game for the Spartans against Madelia on Thursday, April 4, didn’t have nearly as much offensive firepower as their first game; however, the hits came at the most critical moments as they clinched a walk-off victory 3-1. The game turned into a real pitcher’s duel as Klaseus started the game out by striking out Madelia’s first three batters, but the Blackhawks had their own ace on the mound as both teams struggled to put up any offense for the majority of the game. Klaseus finished the outing with eight strikeouts, one walk, and 0 earned runs.
The fielding for the Spartans played extremely well as Lotton made several putouts to first at shortstop, and Madison Winkler showed off her arm at catcher as she threw out a runner attempting to steal a base. The Spartans had an opportunity to score an early run with runners on the corners, but some aggressive baserunning cost them a potential lead. Klaseus did her fair share of digging the Spartans out of tight jams until Madelia strung together a series of hits that got their first run on the board at the top of the sixth.
Going into the bottom of the seventh, the Spartans had only a handful of hits and scoring opportunities, but a lackadaisical effort by the Madelia catcher on a dropped third strike got Paige St. Peter on first base and gave the Spartans a chance to tie the game. KJ Wilmes came in as a pinch runner and stole second, then advanced to third after a passed ball; Payton Blount showed nerves of steel as the youngster slapped a ball in the infield, and despite a close play at plate, Wilmes scored the tying run at home.
Blount would then steal second base, and Miller got on base after a strike to right field, which had runners on the corners. Nicolai stepped to the plate with an opportunity to deliver the winning run, and a perfectly placed line drive in left field secured a walk-off victory as Blount and Miller crossed home plate. Sander was especially fired up after the win and spoke to how the team’s mentality going into the bottom of the seventh made the difference. “The girls didn’t show any sense of nerves out there, but looked determined. We kept telling them to find their pitch to hit, and we took advantage of what they gave us. We were feeling great when Nicolai got to the plate with no outs. An incredible win.”
It was an incredible opening week for the Spartans as they proved they could win a slugfest and a nailbiter within the span of a few days. Sander was particularly proud of her team for their performances in both games and looks forward to where the Spartans can go from here. “It’s been a great start to the season, that’s for sure. These girls had new coaches come in and give them new ideas, which can be difficult at times, but you saw the enjoyment on their faces while they were out on the field. We’re so proud of them for trusting our process and we’re going to keep working at it.”
The Spartans will look to continue a hot start to the season as they will face off against Waseca on April 12. Go Spartans!
