WOODWARD — Fueled by a three-run first inning, visiting Van Meter strolled to a 7-2 WCC win over Woodward-Granger Tuesday. The win avenged a 9-7 loss earlier in the season and splits the conference series between the two teams.
Three consecutive hits and a pair of stolen bases helped spark the early spurt for the guests.
W-G (8-14, 5-4) answered in the second when Meagan Bandstra singled and Kendra Husmann followed with an infield hit on a bunt. Both eventually moved up a base, with Bandstra scoring when Alyssa Bice lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.
Leading, 3-1, Van Meter added two runs in the fifth and single tallies in both the sixth and seventh frames to create a 7-1 bulge.
Walks to Annie Webb and Bice put two Hawks on the bases in the seventh. A pair of wild pitches allowed pinch runner Josie Baumgartner — on for Webb — to race home with the final run of the contest.
Riley Jamison was assessed the loss in the ring. She surrendered seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits in tossing all seven innings.
W-G hosts Ogden tonight and visits Madrid Thursday. They will then play Friday and Saturday in the Clear Creek-Amana Tournament, which will be held at the University of Iowa Softball Complex in Iowa City. W-G faces CC-A at 10 a.m. and West Branch at 2 p.m. in their Friday contests, with a 9 a.m. battle with DC-G and a 1 p.m. test against Iowa City Regina on tap for Saturday.
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VAN METER 7, WOODWARD-GRANGER 2
at Woodward, June 23
Team R H E
VM 300 021 1 — 7 10 x
W-G 010 000 1 — 2 3 5
VM: Richards and Me. Blomgren. W-G: Jamison and Bandstra. WP: Richards. LP: Jamison.
