Indee rally falls short in season opener

The Independence/Gilmanton softball team couldn’t recover after allowing nine runs in the bottom of the first inning.

The Indees scored six runs combined in the last two innings, but they fell one short in a 10-9 loss. 

The loss put I/G at 0-1 to start the season before they hosted Pepin/Alma on Tuesday of this week. They’ll host Dairyland Conference powerhouse Blair-Taylor on Friday. 

This coming Monday, Independence will host Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran before going to Cochrane-Fountain City on Tuesday.

Mel-Min 10 I/G 9

After trailing 10-3 through five innings, the Indees had the tying run on third base before a groundout ended the game.

The Indees got off to a fast start at the plate, but they had trouble getting out of the first inning.

Hilari Klopp put the Indees ahead early with a single that scored Aubrie Pronschinske. Adison Pronschinske later hit into an error that allowed Klopp to score. Rhianna Thesen then doubled in another run and the Indees looked to be in good shape with a 3-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long, however. Lydia Evans walked the first three Mustangs before allowing two straight singles. The tying run scored on an error before another single put the Mustangs ahead 4-3. They were just getting started as they had two more singles and a double in the inning as they took a 9-3 lead.

A leadoff double came around to score in the fifth as the Mustangs took a 10-3 lead. The I/G comeback started in the next inning.

Consecutive doubles by Maggie Woychik and Emma Cowen brought in a couple of runs then Aubrie Pronschinske singled in another.

Woychik and Cowen brought more runs home in the top of the seventh. One scored on a groundout by Woychik before Cowen doubled in two, making the score 10-9.

A single put runners on first and third before Aubrie Pronschinske grounded out to second base to end the game. 

The Indees had 11 hits in the game as Aubrie Pronschinske, Klopp, Theisen and Cowen all had two. Cohen led the team with four RBIs. 

Evans settled down after the first inning. She took the loss, allowing nine hits and four walks, six of the hits and all four walks were allowed in the first inning. She struck out four batters in the game.