By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – Through three innings, the Auburndale softball team looked like it would be on its way to its second straight Marawood Conference South Division victory.
Auburndale led 12-4 after three innings before Edgar started chipping away. The Wildcats finally pulled ahead with a seven-run sixth inning and went on to a 19-13 victory Monday at Auburndale High School.
Auburndale coach Dawn Urban said pitcher Kim Masephol suffered from a blister on her pitching hand that affected her delivery as the game wore on. Masephol walked five and hit a batter in the sixth as things unraveled for the Apaches.
Trailing 13-9, Edgar (3-2, 2-1 Marawood South) plated seven runs on just two hits to take a 16-13 lead. Wildcats pitcher Amber Myszka did the rest, allowing just two base runners over the final three innings.
Edgar scored 16 runs with two outs, including all seven in the decisive sixth inning.
“We came out and hit strong, even though they got ahead of us in the first inning right away,” Urban said. “Then, it was like we got comfortable. We can’t quit until the game is over. We’re going to be working on defensive situations with two outs and continue hitting. We’ve got to pick up the intensity in the ball game.”
Edgar jumped out early with a four-run first inning before the Apaches pounded out 11 hits over the first three innings to forge ahead.
Kelli Isaacson had a two-run single in the first inning, Kayleigh Kundinger drove in a pair with a triple in the second and Kayla Gotz ripped a two-run double in the third to provide the big hits for Auburndale as it pulled ahead 12-4.
Kari Willfahrt singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an error to put Auburndale up 13-7 after four innings, but the Apaches (3-2, 1-2 Marawood South) managed nothing else over the final three innings.
Becky Willfahrt’s single in the sixth was the only hit during the final three innings for Auburndale against Myszka, who retired the side in order to end the game in the seventh.
Kundinger continued her hot hitting early in the Marawood season, going 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and two RBIs. Heather Nigh, Masephol, Isaacson and Gotz each had two hits and Gotz finished with four RBIs for the Apaches.
Despite the tough loss, Urban said she is happy with the way the Apaches are progressing early in the season.
“I’ve got five freshmen on the roster, four sophomores and only one senior on the diamond,” Urban said. “I know I am going to take some bumps with the young ones, getting them to learn and understand the coverage.
“We did have good effort out there, but just didn’t always get the ball in the glove.”
Auburndale returns to action Thursday at Marathon.
Wildcats 19, Apaches 13
Edgar 400 327 3 – 19 15 2
Auburndale 354 100 0 – 13 14 5
WP: Amber Myszka. LP: Kim Masephol.
SO: Myszka 2; Masephol 3, Bailee Krajnik 1. BB: Myszka 5; Masephol 12, Krajnik 0.
Top hitters: E, Ashley Schneeberger 2 runs; Delaney Chojnowski 2-for-5, 2B, 2 runs; Jaimie Willhite 2-for-3, 2 3Bs, 4 runs; Mariah Kohl 2-for-4, 3 runs; Heather Krebsbich 4 runs; Brooke Freese 3-for-5, 2 runs; Lindsey Aapierala 3-for-5, 3 RBIs. A, Heather Nigh 2-for-5; Kayleigh Kundinger 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Masephol 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Jordan Binder 3 runs; Kelli Isaacson 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBIs; Kimberly Kundinger 2 runs; Kayla Gotz 2-for-4, 2B, 4 RBIs; Kari Willfahrt 2 runs.
Records: Edgar 3-2, 2-1 Marawood South; Auburndale 3-2, 1-2 Marawood South.
