Minnesota West softball splits doubleheader with Riverland Community College

Apr. 26—WORTHINGTON — The Minnesota West baseball and softball teams played home doubleheaders on Tuesday afternoon. The Bluejays baseball team played the ever-tough Century College and lost both games in five innings by scores of 13-2 and 16-2. The Lady Jays split their doubleheader with Riverland by scores of 11-10, 11-1.

The Lady Jays played their final scheduled home game of the season, and coach Keith Swenson gave his student athletes departing after the season signed softballs from the team to commemorate the year.

Riverland 11, Minnesota West 10

Tough outings in the first and seventh innings sunk the Lady Jays' chances to win game one against the Blue Devils. The Lady Jays started Julia Schmoker to pitch game one.

Schmoker pitched the complete game and struck out eight.

The Lady Jays scored all 10 of their runs in the third and fifth innings. Makenzie Allen batted leadoff and hit a grand slam. Kiarra Danielson had four hits, two runs scored and a run batted in.

Taylor Ponto and Torrence Clelland took two bases on balls for the Lady Jays.

Seven players collected 10 hits for Minnesota West. The Lady Jays worked seven counts into walks against Riverland.

Riverland scored three runs in the first, two runs in the third, three runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh.

Riverland 302 003 3 — 11

Minnesota West 006 040 0 — 10

Minnesota West 11, Riverland 1

Before the season started, Minnesota West head coach Keith Swenson asked his shortstop Emily Dunlop to hit one home run this season. In the nightcap game against Riverland, Dunlop hit her fourth home run of the year, with a towering shot to center field to score three runs.

"Her last time at-bat at home. That is a good way to go out," said Swenson. "That helped us get ahead 11-1, and then we just wanted to get three outs in the top of the fifth to call it a day."

The Lady Jays started Taylor Ponto on the mound. She pitched a gem of a game and allowed four hits and two walks. The lone run scored by the Blue Devils was a no-doubt home run that smashed into the raised scoreboard.

Dunlop had two hits and a base on balls. She scored two runs. Schmoker had a three run home run. Clelland had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. Allen scored three runs and had two hits.

Ponto was patient in the batter's box with two walks and two runs scored.

Haillie Morin made a great ranging catch from second base to end the top of the first inning and to keep the Blue Devils from scoring an early run.

The Lady Jays, who came into the season tight on numbers, can always audibly be heard cheering on their teammates from the dugout and the field.

"They are supporting each other and that is what it is all about," said Swenson. "I am proud of my girls for helping out and cheering each other on."

Riverland 010 00 — 1

Minnesota West 106 4 X — 11

Century College 13, Minnesota West 2

Century College scored seven runs in the first inning against Minnesota West. The Wood Ducks saw the zone well against the Bluejays and belted 12 hits, 10 of which went for singles.

Century College and Minnesota West also played a doubleheader on Sunday. Century College won both games by scores of 14-1, 7-5.

Jacob Peterson started on the mound for the Bluejays. He was relieved in the first inning by Yohan Hirlado who pitched three and two-thirds innings.

Nicolas Espitia pitched the final frame for Minnesota West.

The Bluejays scored their two runs in the second inning. Fernando Marte hit a leadoff triple, and was in the next at-bat by a single from Henry Falcon.

Hiraldo was the other Bluejay to touch home base. He took home on an errant throw to third in an attempt to catch him stealing.

Nick Ibrahim had two hits, two runs and three RBIs for Century College. One of his hits cleared the outfield fence for a home run.

Dylan Immel pitched five innings and allowed three hits and three walks for the Wood Ducks.

Century College 701 41 — 13 12 1

Minnesota West 020 00 — 2

Century College 16, Minnesota West 2

A tight zone frustrated Minnesota West's pitchers and bench in the nightcap against Century College.

Worthington High School graduate Blake Ahrenstorff started on the bump for the Minnesota West Bluejays. Ahrenstorff went two and one-third innings, allowing nine hits and five walks.

Caleb Villarreal pitched two and two-thirds innings in relief.

The Minnesota West bench was given a warning after adamantly expressing displeasure with a no-call on a checked-swing third strike.

Minnesota West head coach Joey Kinley gathered his troop of batters and asked them to use the zone being called to their advantage.

"Don't swing unless it is a cookie or (you have) two strikes," said Kinley before his team went to bat.

Charlie Atkinson pitched the complete game for the Wood Ducks. Atkinson had a sidearm delivery and limited Bluejays' batters to two hits and no walks.

Six Wood Ducks took bases on balls.

"We got to be better. We got to pitch better, we got to field better, we got to hit better," said Kinley to The Globe. "We play the right way so we can compete with them. Sunday we only lost by two runs. It is just one of those things where as long as we are not walking a bunch of guys or having bad approaches at the plate we can compete. It has nothing to do with them being good. The reality is they are in our conference and we have to play them. I have the confidence we can compete with anybody, but we have to play the game the right way."

Minnesota West will play another home doubleheader on Saturday against Western Technical College.

Century College 166 30 — 16 14 2

Minnesota West 002 00 — 2 2 3