The Ram baseball team extended its late season winning streak to six with a 1-0 win in a tight defensive game against the Saydel Eagles in in Jefferson Monday.
The game was one out away from taking a 0-0 tie into extra innings when Jordan Hostetler scored on a passed ball. Hostetler got on base via being hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a bunt and moved to third on a fly ball to right field. Hostetler was the only batter pitcher Rece Martin hit with a pitch, and only one other Ram batter got a walk in the game. Martin had 13 strikeouts and allowed only four hits. Alex Rasmussen both hit doubles and Riah Nelsen and Hostetler hit singles.
Senior Riah Nelsen pitched the entire game for the Rams. He is 6-1 on the mound and has an earned run average of less than 1. The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first inning, but Nelsen persevered and the inning ended scoreless. The Eagles left a total of 11 runners on base for the game. Nelsen struck out seven, walked four, hit one batter with a pitch, and allowed five hits.
The Rams are 17-9 overall and 13-4 in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. The Eagles are 21-9 overall and 13-4 in the HOIAC.
The Rams play a non-conference game against Ogden in Jefferson Tuesday evening.
The softball team ended regular season play with a 10-4 win over the Nevada Cubs in Jefferson. The game was scheduled to be in Nevada, but field conditions there prompted the move. The Rams played as the visiting team, batting first on their home field.
The Cubs held a 4-1 lead after one inning. The Rams scored twice in the second inning and twice in the third to take a 5-4 lead. They scored a run in the fourth, one in the fifth, and three in the seventh.
The Rams had 12 hits for the game. Hannah Onken hit her fourth homerun for the season and added a single for two runs batted in. Emma Saddoris hit her fifth homerun for the season and added a single and one RBI. Carleigh Paup hit a triple and two singles for three RBI. Sydney Koch, in her first game since breaking a finger three weeks ago, hit two singles for an RBI. Kayla Mobley and Emily Christensen both had a single and an RBI, and Bailey Godwin hit two singles.
Marissa Promes struck out four batters and walked none. She allowed two earned runs on five hits.
The fourth-ranked Rams finished the regular season at 17-1 in the HOIAC and 27-6 overall. They begin tournament play Wednesday in Jefferson against Pocahontas Area. Game time is 7 pm.
