Area softball: Dusek leads Lakers; Ellsworth win, Knights and Tigers fall

SPRING VALLEY, Wis. — Micky Dusek struck out nine and intentionally walked one batter in seven innings as she led Pepin to a 7-4 victory over Spring Valley/Plum City.

“She pitches so well,” Pepin coach Matt Bellerive said. “She has such a good changeup. She keeps good hitters on their toes. ... I forget she’s 15 and a freshman.”

Dusek allowed nine hits.

Pepin’s Kylee Haglund, a junior, finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.

Juniors Samantha Lerum and Jennifer Oberhart had two hits apiece too.

Junior Samantha Westphal hit a solo home run in the second inning. It was the first time she’d hit the ball over the fence in her varsity career.

“I could see all 24 teeth” as she rounded third base, Bellerive said. “I think she was pretty pumped up.”

Pepin (7-5 overall, 7-3 Dunn-St. Croix Conference) plays host to Elmwood on Monday. The Raiders have one conference loss this season.

“If we play like this on Monday we should have a shot,” Bellerive said.

Waterville-E-M 11,

Kenyon-Wanamingo 1

(five innings)

WATERVILLE, Minn. — In the second inning, K-W junior pitcher Rachel Sandager hit two batters and walked two more. Her defense didn’t help, making two errors on the same play. The miscues allowed W-E-M to score four runs and take control of the game.

Sandager took the loss. In four innings she walked three, struck out two.

She surrendered 11 hits.

“They’re a pretty good hitting team,” K-W coach Matt Nelson said. “They hit some gaps. We didn’t.”

The Knights finished with more errors — four — than hits — three.

Brittney Fritz earned a complete-game win for the Buccaneers. The senior struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

Junior Mary Bakken doubled for the Knights. Katelyn Schaefer, a junior, had a hit and two stolen bases.

Senior Nicole Lubahn finished 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run.

The Knights (3-8 overall) play host to Pine Island on Monday.

Winona Cotter 12,

Lake City 1 (5 innings)

LAKE CITY — The Ramblers pounded out 19 hits, scoring six runs in the first inning and four in the third. Lake City had five hits and scored in the fourth.

“They were just hitting the holes,” Lake City coach Katie Luhmann said. “We’d move to fill holes and they’d hit it the other way.”

Emily Sprick took the loss. The junior walked one and didn’t strike out a batter in five innings.

Senior Whitney Fick led the Tigers at the plate. She was 2-for-2 with a run. Classmate Laura Berktold was 0-for-2 with an RBI.

“We were either popping the ball up or not able to make contact,” Luhmann said. “We were watching a lot tonight.”

Lake City (6-6 overall, 4-5 Hiawatha Valley League) is at Cannon Falls on Monday.

Ellsworth 10,

Elmwood 8

ELLSWORTH — Allison Freier’s big game led the Panthers over the Raiders.

She finished 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, a triple and two RBI.

She also picked up the win, striking out three and walking three in a complete-game performance.

Kayla Christopherson added three hits and two RBI, while Estelle Jensen and Mariah Diercks both drove in a pair as well.

Ellsworth returns to action Monday at home against Durand.

Compiled by Ryan Nilsson and Brett Boese.

Tags: lake city, sports, pepin, softball, ellsworth, kenyon, wanamingo