Comets hit the ground running with 16-0 win over TV

By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com
JACKSON JUNCTION — It should be little surprise with the majority of their starting lineup being state track meet qualifiers just a few days back from Des Moines that the Comets would hit the ground running in their softball season-opener against Turkey Valley on Wednesday.

Still, it was a quick transition — or in track relay jargon “exchange” — from one season to the next.

“We had one practice with a full team before tonight,” Charles City head coach Brian Bohlen said. “It’s tough, but our kids are athletes and we want them to play multiple sports.”

Against the Trojans, the Comets wasted little time rallying for 6 runs in the first inning and then 9 runs in the third as the game was called after three full innings with the Comets up 16-0.

For two-time all-state pitcher Sami Heyer, it was yet another abbreviated “perfect game” as she struck out eight of the nine batters she faced while often “wowing” the Turkey Valley faithful with the way her fastball reverberated whenever snapping into the glove of Comet catcher Ashlyn Hoeft.

With much of the power Charles City has wielded over the past two seasons graduated and continuing at the college level, this is a new-look Comet team with multiple left-handed slap-hitters from the aforementioned group of track state qualifiers.

Freshman Lydia Staudt is one of them as she went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Kiki Connell, another left-handed slapper, reached base three times with a pair of bunt singles and a walk, and scored three times.

“We’ve got a lot of girls who can get on base and are fun to watch running the bases,” Bohlen said, “and we’ve got some power to put behind them.”

Charles City, which is coming off three straight state softball appearances, will travel to Crestwood for a doubleheader on Thursday before facing non-conference rival Independence in another away doubleheader on Friday.

According to the preseason rankings released by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, Independence is ranked No. 2 in Class 4A.

Charles City is ranked No. 4.