Lady Cards top JPII, but falter at Sacred Heart

The St. Paul Lady Cardinals split two games this week as they played games on back-to-back days Tuesday and Wednesday night.

St. Paul exploded for 16 runs in its softball game against the John Paul II Lady Guardians. It took five innings of work to dispatch of the Lady Guardians, as St. Paul won its home game 16-2.

Abby Irvin pitched a complete game, giving up only three hits and two runs, all in the fourth inning. She also struck out eight batters and walked four.

The Lady Cardinals scored in every frame in which they batted. In the first inning with Alexa Schaefer on second base, Bethany Pokluda blasted a one-out shot to left field for an out-the-park two-run homer.

In the second inning, Abby Irvin was the lone run scored after a passed ball led to her touching home safely.

The third inning was one to remember when every batter in the lineup scored at least once. The Lady Cardinals combined for 11 runs on seven hits, including a three-RBI triple and a two-RBI single by Irvin. Katelynn Leist also brought in runs with a two-RBI double of her own.

The Lady Guardians finally answered with a two-run frame in the fourth. The first two batters reached base on singles, before the next two struck out. Another single for the Lady Guardians scored two before the final batter struck out, ending their half of the inning.

However, the St. Paul scoring did not stop, as Elise Patek and Alex Schaefer both reached base with walk. Lizzy Opiela brought both base runners in on a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 16-2.

Although John Paul II put two runners on base in the fifth inning, great put-outs by the infield closed out the inning and ended the game with the 10-run rule.

Sacred Heart 6, St. Paul 4

HALLETTSVILLE – Errors were an issue for the Lady Cardinals in their matchup with the hometown Sacred Heart Lady Indians. The Lady Cardinals combined for four errors, as opposed to only one error by Sacred Heart in a 6-4 loss.

Although St. Paul took and early lead, it could not take advantage of multiple runners on the base. The Lady Cardinals accumulated 11 hits for the game, but finished with only four runs.

Up 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning, St. Paul gave up three runs to Sacred Heart to tie the game.

St. Paul scoring was again an issue in the fourth frame, as the Lady Indians shut them down. In its half of the inning, Sacred Heart took the lead and never relinquished it, scoring twice in the fourth then holding on for the 6-4 final.

Lizzy Opiela led St. Paul in hitting, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Abby Irvin and Kymberlie Malatek each notched an RBI. Irvin pitched a complete game, throwing one strikeout and giving up four earned runs.

The Lady Cardinals are back in action Tuesday when they host Sacred Heart for a 6 p.m. game.