Lady Bulldogs Defeat Clark-Willow Lake in Slugfest

The MHS girls fastpitch softball team duked it out with the Cyclones in a high-scoring slugfest to claim an opening-day victory on Thursday, April 10, at Clark Willow Lake. The game featured 24 hits and 37 runs.The Bulldogs tacked up 19 runs to Clark-Willow Lake’s 18 to take home the win. 

Milbank struck early and often, scoring in all seven innings. They put up three runs in each of the first three frames, added four in the fourth, combined for three more in the fifth and sixth, and tacked on the three crucial runs in the top of the seventh to seal the deal. 

Clark-Willow Lake answered with eight runs in the second and four in the third, but  Lady Bulldogs pitcher Ashlynn Lamp held them scoreless from the fourth through the sixth. The Cyclones attempted a comeback in a late seventh-inning surge that produced three runs, but they came up short.

Peyton Ericsson led Milbank at the plate. She went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, three RBIs, and five runs scored. Catcher Lauren Lester also had a big day. She went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, and four RBIs. Kennedi Sayler went 2-for-5 and drove in five runs. Macy Mueller also contributed two hits and scored three dingers.

Addisyn Krause was a force to be reckoned with at the top of the lineup. She went 2-for-3, drew a walk, and got hit by two pitches. She crossed the plate four times. Lamp scored two runs after walking in three of her five plate appearances. 

Lamp also pitched a complete game. In seven innings, she gave up 18 runs, all earned, on 12 hits, walked eight, struck out eight, and hit four batters. 

Clark-Willow Lake’s offense was equally ambitious. M. Ingraham went 4-for-5 with a home run and four ribbies. K. Frankfurth drove in three runs and hit a triple. E. Sass and J. Vandersnick each collected two hits. Together, they put up six RBIs.

Defensively, Milbank committed just one error. The Cyclones struggled at four. Each team tallied 12 hits. Milbank left nine runners on base. Clark-Willow Lake stranded seven.

What’s next? The Bulldogs host Deuel in a doubleheader on Monday April 14, at Pribyl Park.