With bats ringing, Boone Central returned to the win column in a pair of diamond tests this past week.
The Cardinals shook off a recent slump, defeating visiting Ord 12-4 Tuesday, Sept. 22, then thumping host West Point-Beemer 21-15 with a late surge Thursday.
The wins boosted Boone Central to 10-9 and will hopefully provide momentum for the rapidly approaching postseason.
“The girls did well bouncing back this week to get two wins. It was nice to get Ashtyn (Hedlund) back to help out,” said Cardinal Coach Jeff Hrabik. “With this being the final week of regular season games, I want us to be playing better each game.
“We play two teams in our district this week in St. Paul and Hastings St. Cecelia, se we’ll know what kind of teams they are before we go. It’s a big week leading into district Monday.”
Last week’s start was a good one in all phases of the game as Boone Central defeated Ord at the Albion Sports Complex.
The Cardinals got a solid mound effort from senior Avery Olnes, banged out 12 hits and committed just a single error in the contest.
Jeslynn Beckman was the offensive standout for Boone Central. She punctuated a four-run first inning with a two-run home run, later added a double, and finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three driven in.
Hedlund drove a decisive seven-run fifth inning with a three-run home run, as the Cardinals turned a slim 5-4 advantage into the comfortable win. Hedlund finished the contest 2-for-4, driving in three runs and scoring twice.
A pitching duel Thursday’s game at West Point-Beemer was not.
Boone Central delivered the final swings in an offensive donnybrook, scoring 10 runs in the sixth and seventh innings and besting the Cadets 21-15.
A seven-run inning, this time in the sixth, again proved decisive. West Point-Beemer had edged in front 12-11 with its own eight-run burst in the fourth and a single run in the fifth, but Boone Central rallied behind Madisyn Cunningham’s three-run home run and sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth.
Further details in Print & Online editions of Albion News
