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Comets lose consolation rematch against ‘Stangs, 8-4

Press photo by John Burbridge Charles City freshman Kiki Connell is forced at second base after Independence’s Allie Jo Zieser fields the throw during Wednesday’s Class 4A consolation game.
Press photo by John Burbridge
Charles City freshman Kiki Connell is forced at second base after Independence’s Allie Jo Zieser fields the throw during Wednesday’s Class 4A consolation game.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

FORT DODGE — The Charles City Comets were down 8-0 through four-and-a-half innings against Independence during one of the Class 4A consolation games Wednesday afternoon.

But you know, it wouldn’t be the State Softball Championships if Comet senior slugger Tayler Schmidt didn’t hit at least one home run.

Sure enough, with Charles City finally starting to make some noise while loading the bases, Schmidt took a Mackenzie Hupke pitch deep to right field well over the fence as the ball clanged off the Dodger Stadium-like wavy outfield pavilion roof at the Roger Sport Complex’s aptly named Dodger Diamond.

Not only was it Schmidt’s team-leading 12th homer of the season and 25th for her high school career, it was the fourth dinger she has hit in state tournament play during Charles City’s three-straight appearances.

It was also Schmidt’s third grand slam of the season, which should provoke a deep web search for where that ranks in the record books.

The four-run, four-bagger suddenly brought the Comets and their fans to life. It may have helped inspire Charles City’s defense as the Comets — just a rally away or another GS away from tying the game — shored up their glove work and held the Mustangs scoreless in the final two innings after several lapses in the field put them behind the “8” ball.

But like in their previous loss to Des Moines Hoover in the first round, better play in the latter half of the game couldn’t save Charles City from what occured in the first half as the Mustangs held on to win, 8-4.

Independence finished the season at 35-7; Charles City dropped to 33-8.

Both teams were ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union during various times during the season. The Comets were perched on top for two straight weeks before the Mustangs claimed the top spot late in the regular season.

It set the stage for a rescheduled non-conference game between the two teams after Independence took over at No. 1.

The Comets won that game, 1-0, but started out too sluggish in the rematch.

“I was talking to some of the older coaches down here, and they were saying how much it is a great honor just to get down here,” said Charles City coach Brian Bohlen after the consolation loss to the Mustangs. “We may have not played our best down here, but we had a great season. The girls have nothing to hang their heads about.”

After Schmidt’s granny, the Comets didn’t stop hitting the ball hard off Mustang ace Hupke, who incidentally is a fall ball teammate of Charles City ace Samantha Heyer on the Southeast Iowa All-Stars.

Senior Payton Reams, who previously singled off Hupke, drove a pitch deep to center field that was “one more biscuit for breakfast” from going out as Harry Caray would say.

Then to end the game, Ashlyn Hoeft lifted a deep fly to left field that was also biscuit short.

Much of the Mustang damage came from the top as leadoff hitter Lydia Butters was 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. But it was Independence’s “small ball” approach that addled the Comets, who let three Mustangs reach base on “fielder’s choice” bunts, two of whom ended up scoring during 3-run rallies in the second and fourth innings.

The Comets also committed three infield errors as only five of the eight runs scored off Heyer were earned.

Aside from the grand-slam by Schmidt, who also had an RBI double in the 7-2 loss to Hoover, Charles City’s normally productive offense was held in check during its two days in Fort Dodge. But leadoff hitter Lisabeth Fiser, who came into the tournament leading the Comet regulars with a .504 batting average, didn’t have that lowered that much after going 4 for 8 in the two games after recording three hits in the consolation.

All of the Comets since-graduated seniors — Reams, Schmidt, Kelby Katcher, Madeline Peters and Ciana Sonberg — have signed on to continue their softball careers in college.

Heyer, a junior who has struck out 560 batters over the past two seasons, has made a verbal commitment to play Division 1 softball at Northern Iowa.

But the Comets also came to the tournament with considerable talented youth in their ranks. Three players who have yet to take freshman classes — Hoeft, Rachel Chambers and Lydia Staudt — all played during the state tournament.

“We definitely had a good mix of young and experienced players this year,” Bohlen said.

INDEPENDENCE 8, CHARLES CITY 4

IND AB R H BI CHARLES CITY AB R H BI

Lydia Butters 4 1 2 3 Lisabeth Fiser 4 1 3 0

Abby Davis 4 0 1 0 Ashlyn Hoeft 3 1 0 0

Allie Jo Zieser 4 2 1 0 Tayler Schmidt 3 1 1 4

Megan Brock 0 0 0 0 Ciana Sonberg 3 0 0 0

Mackenzie Hupke 3 1 1 1 Payton Reams 3 0 1 0

Kenzie Fischels 3 0 0 0 Cora Crooks 3 0 0 0

Allison Doyle 4 1 0 1 Kelby Katcher 2 0 0 0

Mary Puffett 4 0 1 1 Madeline Peters 3 0 1 0

Madelynn Beatty 2 2 1 1 Kiki Connell 0 0 0 0

Kaylee Hosch 1 0 0 0 Samantha Heyer 3 1 0 0

Sydney Hearn 2 1 0 0

TOTALS 31 8 7 7 TOTALS 27 4 6 4

INDEPENDENCE 031 310 0 — 8

CHARLES CITY 000 040 0 — 4

LOB–INDEPENDENCE 8, CHARLES CITY 4. ERR–Samantha Heyer, Tayler Schmidt, Ashlyn Hoeft. HR–Tayler Schmidt. HBP–Kenzie Fischels. SACF–Lydia Butters.

INDEPENDENCE IP H R ER BB SO HR

Mackenzie Hupke 7.00 6 4 4 2 10 1

CHARLES CITY

Samantha Heyer 7.00 7 8 5 4 9 0

WP–Mackenzie Hupke (2), Samantha Heyer. SO–Lydia Butters, Sydney Hearn, Allie Jo Zieser, Kaylee Hosch, Mary Puffett (3), Kenzie Fischels, Abby Davis, Samantha Heyer (2), Tayler Schmidt (2), Ciana Sonberg, Cora Crooks (2), Ashlyn Hoeft (2), Kelby Katcher. BB–Madelynn Beatty (2), Sydney Hearn, Mackenzie Hupke, Ashlyn Hoeft, Kelby Katcher

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