Indees fall to Mustangs, Norse

The Independence/Gilmanton softball team was still searching for its first win at the start of this week.

The Indees fell twice last week, losing to Whitehall on Monday (see story elsewhere in Sports) before dropping another home game against Melrose-Mindoro on Thursday. The Mel-Min game went to extra innings, but the Mustangs scored three runs in the top of the ninth.

The losses dropped I/G to 0-5 on the season before Tuesday’s game at Alma Center Lincoln. I/G is slated to hit the road again on Friday when it plays at Pepin/Alma before games at Eau Claire Regis this coming Monday and Arcadia next Tuesday. I/G’s next home game will be May 13 against Augusta.

Mel-Min 6 I/G 3

The Indees scored in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings, but the Mustangs pulled through in the ninth.

Hannah Ekern tripled with one out in the bottom of the seventh and scored on an error hit by Catherine Kampa to tie the game at 3. 

That’s where the score stood until the top of the ninth when Mel-Min scored on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded. The Mustangs added a single and had another run score on a passed ball to take a 6-3 lead. 

The Indees got two runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but they couldn’t bring them home.

I/G took an early lead as Ekern tripled and scored on a single by Kampa in the bottom of the first. Harper Symicek doubled Kampa home to make the score 2-0. 

The Mustangs chipped away with one run in the third and another in the fourth before they took the lead with one in the fifth.

Ekern took the loss in the circle, striking out five while allowing 10 hits and four walks. She had two of I/G’s 11 hits at the plate, Kampa and Symicek also had two in the game.