The Minnewaska Area softball team is off to an 0-5 start after losing two doubleheaders to Melrose and BOLD along with a single game loss to ACGC, 17-12.

The Lakers are coached by first-year head coach Luke Barkeim, who is assisted by Jacalyn Skoglund, Jesse Johnson and Abby VerSteeg.

Morris Area won the league title last year with a perfect 12-0 record, followed by West Central Area and Melrose Area (both 9-3), Sauk Centre (6-6), and Montevideo, Benson and Minnewaska (all 2-10).

The Lakers were set to play at YME, Monday and at Morris Area, Thursday, April 18 before hosting the Minnewaska Invitational, Saturday, April 20 at the high school softball complex.

Melrose 17-15, Waska 1-0

The Lakers opened up the season with a doubleheader loss at home to Melrose.  Minnewaska scored just one run while losing both games, 17-1 and 15-0.

Mataya Mix took the loss in the first game, pitching all 4 1/3 innings.  Melrose scored five in the first and six in the second before ending the game with one out in the fifth due to the 15-run rule.

Ella Roering went 2-for-2 with a double to lead the Laker offense, while Ally Mogard was 1-for-2 with a run scored, Eliana Marthaler had a walk and Emma Poegel had an RBI.

•  In the second game, Roering pitched a complete game and was hurt by at least four Minnewaska errors which led to 14 unearned runs.

Melrose had five runs in the first and one in the second before ending the game after plating nine more runs in the fourth inning with two outs to end the game early again due to the 15-run rule.

Roering had a hit, walk and stolen base, while Poegel and Carly Jergenson also had hits for Minnewaska.

ACGC 17, Minnewaska 12

The Lakers fell to 0-3 with a 17-12 loss at Atwater-CGC last Tuesday night.  The two teams combined for 24 hits, 23 walks and 29 runs during the wild and high-scoring non-conference game.  The Lakers took a 3-0 lead after their first at-bat, but ACGC took the lead for good with seven runs in the bottom-half of the first.

Carly Jergenson led the Lakers with three hits, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, RBI and stolen base, while Jenna Drewes, Ella Roering, Emma Poegel each added two hits.

Drewes was 2-for-4 with three runs and a double, Roering was 2-for-5 with a run, four RBI, a triple and stolen base and Poegel was 2-for-4 with a run, two RBI and two walks.

Adding one hit each for Minnewaska Area were Ally Mogard, Eliana Marthaler, Lauren Stryhn and Haillie Schulz, while Avery Lewison scored once and also walked.

Mogard also scored three times and had an RBI, while Marthaler had two RBI, a run scored and base on balls, Stryhn also had a walk and Schulz had a run, two RBI and walk.

Taking the loss on the mound was Mataya Mix, who lasted just one inning, giving up three hits, six walks and seven runs while striking out two.

Amanda Lohre came in to pitch the final five innings, giving up eight hits, 10 runs (nine earned) and 11 walks with six strikeouts.

Brooke Schultz went 3-for-3 for ACGC with four runs, an RBI, two walks and a double, while Brooke Johnson was 2-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, two walks and six RBI.

BOLD 10-7, Waska 0-0

The Lakers suffered another doubleheader loss, Thursday, losing two games at BOLD, 10-0 and 7-0.

Minnewaska had seven total hits in the two games combined, including two during the 10-0 loss in the first game with Mataya Mix taking the loss on the mound after giving up five hits, 10 runs (only three earned) and three walks with three strikeouts.

BOLD led 2-0 before scoring six unearned runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. 

The Lakers, who struck out 10 times, registered two hits, one each by Jenna Drewes and Carly Jergenson.

•  Roering pitched the second game, giving up just seven hits, two earned runs and 11 walks with four strikeouts.

BOLD led 1-0 through three innings before scoring two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and seventh innings for the final margin.

Jenna Drewes had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, while Emma Poegel and Avery Lewison were both 1-for-3.

BOLD did not walk any Minnewaska Area batters during either game.  The Lakers committed three errors, which led to five unearned runs.

at ACGC 17, Waska 12

Waska (0-3) 3 2 0 1 2 1 3 — 12 13 1

ACGC 7 0 2 3 4 1 x — 17 11 4

HITTING:  WASKA-Carly Jergenson 3-for-4, 1 run, RBI, sb; Jenna Drewes 2-for-4, 3 runs, double; Ella Roering 2-for-5, run, 4 RBI, triple, sb; Emma Poegel 2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2 bb; Ally Mogard 1-for-5, 3 runs, RBI; Eliana Marthaler 1-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, bb; Lauren Stryhn 1-for-5, bb; Haillie Schulz 1-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, bb; Avery Lewison 0-for-3, 1 run, bb. . . ACGC-Brooke Schultz 3-for-3, 4 runs, RBI, double, 2 bb, sb; Brooke Johnson 2-for-4, 3 runs, 6 RBI, 2 doubles, 2 bb

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  WASKA-Mataya Mix (L, 0-2)  1-3-7-7-6-2; Amanda Lohrre 5-8-10-9-11-6. . . ACGC-Kendall Miller (W)  7-13-12-7-6-5

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