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Posen sweeps NSL doubleheader at Alcona

LINCOLN – It was a long day on the diamond as the Posen softball team traveled to Alcona for a North Star League tilt. The Vikings were able to come away with a doubleheader sweep thanks in large part to their offensive outburst.

Posen was victorious in game one, defeating the Tigers by a score of 11-7. Alcona took an early 3-1 lead after one inning of play and starting pitcher Alissa Terpstra was looking sharp on the mound in the early going. Alcona extended its lead to three in the bottom of the third as Abby Lobaugh scored on a wild pitch.

The Vikings responded and got to Terpstra, putting up a big five run, fifth inning. Kayla Lenard put the Vikings on top with a two-out, two-run double.

The Tigers were able to scratch out another run in the fourth when Keilee Elmer hit into a fielder’s choice that plated Jordan Joyce. It was as close as Alcona would get in game one as Posen put together another five run inning in the top of the sixth. This time it was Jenna Hincka ripping a two-run double to put the Vikings up by three. Posen added two more runs on RBI from Sam Lenard and Taylor Roznowski.

Hincka relieved starting pitcher Jolene Reese and struck out two of the four batters she faced to help the Vikings hang on to take game one.

“We battled through a lot of adversity and came back with a lot of mental toughness. I felt our girls were focusing on the task at hand and we were a little shorthanded tonight, but a win is a win,” Posen coach Glenn Budnik said.

Reese pitched five innings, scattered six hits, walked 10 and struck out four in picking up the win. Terpstra got hit with the loss, tossing a complete game, allowing eight hits and fanning eight batters.

Hincka led the way offensively for Posen going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Brittany Decker went two for four and drove in a run for the Tigers.

Posen continued to find ways to put runs on the board, completing the sweep and winning game two by a score of 12-9.

Alcona jumped out to an early lead as Elmer scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. The Vikings were quick to respond as Lauren Romel scored on a double from Kayla Lenard to tie the game at one run apiece. Posen took the lead in the top of the third as Hincka and Sam Lenard came across to score to put the Vikings ahead by two.

Alcona got a run back in the home half of the third when Decker scored on a wild pitch to make it a one run game. The Tigers took the lead, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a one run lead.

Posen made sure the lead would be short lived, scoring two runs in the fifth and batting around to score six runs in the top of the sixth inning. It was again Kayla Lenard coming up with a big two-out, two-run RBI single to extend the Vikings lead. Posen went on to score all six runs with two outs in the inning.

Despite trailing by seven runs, the Tigers did not quit, they battled back to make it a game and give themselves a shot.

“These girls have the drive in them, but they have to have it all of the time. Right now the girls are their own worst enemy and need to not get down on themselves when they make an error or something goes wrong,” Alcona coach Chelsea Neuenfeldt said.

The first four batters of the inning all scored, the big hit coming on a two-run home run off the bat of Decker, but it wasn’t enough as the Vikings held on to complete the sweep.

Reese started and earned the game two win tossing five innings before once again being relieved by Hincka. Terpstra pitched the first three innings before leaving the game and was relieved by Maddie Lane who suffered the loss.

Decker led the way in game two for the Tigers, going two for three with a walk, a stolen base, two RBI and two runs scored.

Alcona falls to 3-6-1 overall on the season and will be back in action on Thursday when it travels to Whittemore-Prescott.

Kayla Lenard went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, three RBI and a run scored.

“It was a good growing measure for this program to be able to battle from behind. We’ve talked about being able to do the little things and if we can do those things I believe we are going to be a very tough team to beat come state tournament time. Right now we have a lot of things to work on, but I’m confident once we get there we will be a strong team,” Budnik said.

Posen improves to 5-9 overall and 5-1 in league play and will host Rogers City on Thursday for another important NSL doubleheader.

Jonny Zawacki can be reached via email at jzawacki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5690.

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