Hounds remain undefeated

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- The Cathedral High softball team remained undefeated on the season Tuesday, improving to 7-0 by holding off Sleepy Eye High 6-3 in Tomahawk Conference action at North Park.

"We hit the ball well today," Greyhound coach Bob Mertz said. "Kari Franta and Abby Hofmeister did a nice job of getting the bat on the ball in some key situations, which led to some runs. Timely hits ... I think we scored five of our runs with two outs."

Dee Wilfahrt picked up the mound win by scattering six hits, striking out eight without walking a batter. Ann Tauer was tagged with the loss, yielding seven hits and two walks while fanning four. She also hit three batters.

"We've played some pretty decent games over here (in New Ulm) the last few years," Indian coach Cory Haala said. "We're facing an excellent team with probably the best pitcher (Wilfahrt) in the conference, so I'm happy with the way our kids battled back and hung in there."

Tauer hit two of the first three batters she faced, which loaded the bases with no outs in the first. The Indian defense got two outs before Franta's clutch RBI single to center, and an error in the outfield allowed Chandra Petersen to cross the plate for a two-run lead. That lead would grow to 4-0 in the third as Hofmeister's two-run single to center plated Tessa Hodapp and Franta.

"They play a lot of little games ... try to make you make mistakes on defense," Haala said of Cathedral. "They put the ball in play and do all the little things right. That's why they have such a successful program over here."

The lead would be 5-0 before the Sleepy Eye bats awoke in the top of the sixth. The Indians had four singles in that frame alone -- including RBI base hits off the bats of Kristi Schieffert and Shawna Braun -- and suddenly the lead was trimmed to 5-3.

"We didn't look sharp that inning," Mertz said. "Little mistakes can make the difference. You get a little lax when things are going along good, but that's all in takes to turn the game around. We were lucky to get out of that inning with only the three runs scored. (Sleepy Eye) began to hit Dee really well, and I believe they did that (earlier this season) in Sleepy Eye as well."

Greyhound catcher Bryanna Balbach made sure that would be as close as the Indians would get as, in the bottom of the sixth, she took a Tauer offering deep to left field and rounded the bases for a home run.

"Bry kind of put the icing on the cake for us," Mertz said. "After scoring those three runs, that was a big run to get back at that point in the game."

The Greyhounds' next games are Thursday as they host Sleepy Eye St. Mary's in a big doubleheader. The Indians have off until Monday before facing Wabasso.

The Cathedral B-squad improved to 5-0 with an 11-1, five-inning win. Julie Seifert got the win on a three-hitter, striking out six. Danni Fischer and Mandy Domeier each had two hits for the Greyhounds.

SLEEPY EYE 000 003 0 -- 3 6 1

CATHEDRAL 202 101 x -- 6 7 1

WP-Wilfahrt, LP-Tauer. HR-Balbach (C).