Photo Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy Yearbook

The Hillcrest Academy Raven softball team took one of their two Saturday contests at the annual Hillcrest Classic in Kalona. The Ravens were a 6-5 winner over the Keota Eagles in the first game of the day. The Ravens got a single run in the first, answered by a Keota tally in the second to even the game at one. Another Raven run went on the board in the fourth to put them back in front 2-1. Keota countered with four in the fifth. Then it was the Ravens turn for the answer, with four in the bottom half of the inning to score the one run victory in five frames. Hillcrest out hit the Eagles 7-3. Adrianne Blauvelt had a hit with two RBI. Kylee Statler, Claire Withrow, Erin Bontrager and Lydia Beachy all had a hit and drove in one. Seven different Ravens scored a run. Malia Yoder was the winning pitcher, working all five, allowing three hits, two earned runs, walking five and striking out nine.

In the championship game, the Ravens were doubled up by the English Valleys Bears 6-3. Hillcrest again started quickly with two in the bottom of the first. EV scored three in the top of two to take the lead for good. They added on insurance with one more in the third and a pair in the fourth to go up 6-2. A sixth inning Raven rally plated one before Hillcrest ran out of time and outs. The Ravens out hit the Bears 5-4 and drew six walks. Yoder went three for three and drilled a homer while driving in two for Hillcrest. Bontrager and Stavia Miller each added singles for the Ravens with Miller, Morgyn Nafziger and Yoder all scoring runs. During Yoder’s time in the circle, she tossed six frames, giving up five hits, six earned runs, five walks and nine strikeouts. The split moved Hillcrest’s record to 7-7 on the season.