Glenwood second at T.J. Classic

Earlham plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Glenwood and win the Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson Softball Classic Saturday night in Council Bluffs.

The Rams (14-3), who defeated Central Decatur 10-1 and Sidney 8-5 to reach the finals, led 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh when the Cardinals (13-8) loaded the bases. The game was then tied on a controversial grounder fielded by Ram shortstop Brooklyn Taylor for what Glenwood coach Kylee Stanton thought was an out at home. But with the runner called safe, the game was tied at 5-5 with the bases still loaded. In the ensuing at bat, the Cardinals’ Lizzy Amburg induced a walk for the game-winning run.

“It was a tough way to lose but I was proud of the girls,” Stanton said. “As much as its stinks to lose, they fought, they played in control, you didn’t see any nerves. They felt like they were going to win the game.”

Sydney Biermann took the loss in the circle for Glenwood. The junior scattered 11 hits and struck out six.

In the Rams two pool play wins, Erin Stanley came up big. The junior smacked two home runs and drove in four runs.

Kelly Embray, who joined Stanley on the all-tournament team, recorded three totals hits, including a pair of doubles.

Taryn Bertini was credited with the win over Central Decatur. The sophomore allowed just four hits and struck out six in what Stanton called one of her best performances of the year.

“She’s thrown well all year but she really looked good,” Stanton said.

Biermann struck out six in a complete-game win over Sidney.

Rams split with Harlan

After suffering a 10-1 loss in game one, Glenwood bounced back for a 5-4, extra-inning victory in game two of a Hawkeye 10 Conference double-header split with Harlan Thursday.

The Rams got down 6-0 and never looked comfortable in the game one loss. But, after Coach Kylee Stanton’s chat with her team between innings, Glenwood came out in game two and showed their fight, twice rallying from one run deficits to win it when Erin Stanley’s sacrifice fly scored Brielle Smith.

“I pulled them out into the outfield and told them, ‘As much as it stinks to lose 10-1, we need to let this loss go because we have a game two,” Stanton said. “And they were like a whole different ball team. Our defense was better. We just seemed like we needed that moment.”

Smith had a strong night for the Rams. The junior drove in Glenwood’s lone game one run, belted a two-run home run game two and scored the game winning run after singling and steal two bases in the bottom of the ninth.

Sydney Biermann started both games for Glenwood, taking the split.

Glenwood 8,
Creston 7

Arianna Springer’s sacrifice fly scored Erin Stanley for the game-winner in Glenwood’s 8-7 Hawkeye 10 Conference softball victory over Creston last Tuesday.

The Rams (11-1) trailed 3-0 after two innings before exploding for seven runs in the third. But the Panthers (5-9) would rally to tie it at 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth.

In the seventh, Stanley doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt to set up Springer’s fly ball. Ram hurler Sydney Biermann pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning to preserve the win. Biermann scattered eight hits and struck out seven for the win.

“Creston finds a way to come and play us,” said Glenwood coach Kylee Stanton. “They never like to lose us and we don’t either.”

Glenwood recorded 15 hits in the win. Haylee Sell led the way with a 4-for-4 night. Stanley added three hits, including a triple and a double. Brielle Smith doubled and drove in two runs.

Kylee LeMasters took the loss for Creston.