Photo Courtesy of Amy and Nicole Greiner
It was a fun weekend on the big stage for a pair of area softball teams as the Washington Demons and Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks traveled to the Pearl Field Complex, home of the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, for the Iowa City West Invitational. Washington got three games in over the weekend, posting a 1-2 record, that victory coming at the expense of rival Mid-Prairie 8-3.
The Demons were strong early and late, jumping out to a lead with a three spot in the second, only to see Mid-Prairie rally across the middle innings as the Hawks scored one run each in the third, fourth and fifth to tie game. In the bottom of five, three more went on the board for the Demons along with a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to put the game away. Washington out hit the Hawks 8-7, drew six walks, and Mid-Prairie committed five errors. Isabella Salazar got the win for Washington going six frames, giving up eight hits, three runs, walking one and striking out five. At the plate, the Demons were led by a three RBI day for Ella Greiner that included a homer with a run scored. Leighton Salazar and Colbie Greiner each had two knocks and a run scored, Salazar added an RBI. For Mid-Prairie Dakota Mitchell, Brenna Jehle, Sophie Miller, Hannah Sellers, Sydney Knebel, Olivia Swartzentruber and Madeline Schrader each had one hit, Jehle, Miller and Knebel all had RBI. Kadence Grout took the loss in the circle, going six innings, giving up nine hits, eight runs, six walks and striking out two. The loss dropped Mid-Prairie to 6-3 on the season.
Washington also locked up with No. 8 in Class 5A Muscatine and No. 1 in Class 2A Iowa City Regina. Against the Muskies, it was an 8-2 defeat. Muscatine scored three times in the first, two more in the second and added on three in the fourth to go up 8-0. Washington broke through with a pair in the fifth. The Muskies out hit the Demons 11-2. Alyvia Anderson had a hit and one driven in for the Demons, Isabella Salazar added the other knock, a double, with Haley Mitchell and Colbie Greiner each touching home plate. In the circle, Colbie Greiner and Halle Cuddeback split the four innings of work equally, giving up nine hits, eight runs, and walking two combined.
Against the top ranked Regals, Washington fell by a 6-3 count. Each team put up a run in their half of the first and Washington took their first lead of the day at 2-1 with a single tally in the second. The big frame was a four run Regal fourth. They added another in the fifth to make it 6-2. Washington’s late rally saw the Demons score one in the sixth, but were unable to pull closer leaving runners on base to end the contest. Each team had seven hits, Leighton Salazar, Ella Greiner and Kendall Hinrichsen had two each. Leighton Salzar and Ella Greiner drove in one apiece. Leighton Salazar, Rylee Libe and Lauren Hinrichsen each scored a run. Cuddeback took the loss in the circle, working six, while surrendering six hits, six runs and walking two.
At the end of the weekend, the Demons stood at 8-4.