Comet hitters well above average

Charles City bats stay hot in 10-7 win over Forest City

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — When you hit .445 as a team, there’s a little room for error(s).

Such was the case when some defensive lapses from the Charles City Comets helped squander a 5-0 lead and later forced them to come from behind to defeat the visiting Forest City Indians, 10-7, Tuesday in non-conference softball action at Sportsmen’s Park.

“Defense wasn’t as tight as it should have been,” Comets head coach Brian Bohlen said. “But we’re hitting the ball well … hitting the ball hard.”

One player who hit the ball hard for the Comets was junior outfielder Sara Martin. Her solo shot in the third inning set several fans in the left-field bleachers scattering as they didn’t want to brave their bare hands in trying to catch it.

It was Martin’s third home run of the year, and it gave the Comets their 5-0 lead.

Senior Jamie Sindlinger almost went yard herself as her double off the top of the centerfield fence challenged the deepest part of the outfield.

Sindlinger later tripled in two runs to cap a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth which would conclude the scoring.

The Comets went into their half of the sixth down 7-6 before Shantel VanHauen’s bases-loaded single down the right-field line drove in the tying and go-ahead runs.

To be fair, it wasn’t all offense for the Comets as they did come up with some clutch defensive plays.

Senior Megan Staudt had an outstanding day patrolling right field. In addition to making several running catches, Staudt gunned down an Indian runner at second after playing the ball off the fence.

Staudt also was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI from the leadoff spot.

Winning pitcher Tayler Schmidt also made an outstanding play on a bunting-for-a-hit attempt to end the game.

Schmidt, Martin, Sindlinder and Bailey Mitchell each had two hits, as did Comet centerfielder Shae Etherington, whose 2-for-3 performance is not going to raise her batting average much.

The speedy left-handed slap hitter, who’s virtually an automatic single whenever she puts the ball in play on the ground, came into the game with a team-leading .625 batting average.

“Shae is doing a heck of a job for us,” Bohlen said. “She confuses a lot of defenses, and that helps get us going.”

Morgan Hobbs, Halle Johnson and Kelsey Koch each had two hits for Forest City (6-3).

Charles City (10-3) will host New Hampton today at 7:15 p.m.

“Aside from the hitting, what makes us a good team is our players’ great attitudes,” Bohlen said.

Earlier, the Comets’ JV team defeated Forest City 9-6.