While folks are waiting for summer to round the bend, the Wadena-Deer Creek softball team is producing enough heat of their own.
In fact, they are off to a blistering start after riding on a four-game winning streak to open the season.
After defeating Breckenridge 9-2 in the season opener on April 8, the Wolverines went on to defeat Frazee 7-1 on April 12 and swept a conference doubleheader from Park Rapids on April 18.
But two errors in the fifth inning of the April 20 non-conference game at Pelican Rapids cooled the Wolverines winning streak in the 9-8 loss to the Lady Vikings.
Down 2-4, the Wolverines exploded for six runs in the top of the fourth inning to take the 8-4 lead. Pelican Rapids had a temporary meltdown, committing two errors and a walk that led to two runs in the stanza. The Wolverines Kendra Grothmann knocked in a two-run single and Hannah Askews two-run double added to the scoring. Nikki Kneisl also contributed in the frame with an RBI single.
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Pelican Rapids closed the gap in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to make it a one-run game at 8-7 and capitalized on the two Wolverine errors in the fifth to steal the victory.
Offensively, Kneisl went 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI followed by Grothmann with 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Askew suffered her first loss of the season; she allowed nine runs on five hits while striking out five and walking seven in six innings.
Miscues allowed the Wolverines to take an early lead against Frazee in the second inning. Three walks and an error scored Kayla Guck and Askew for the 2-0 lead.
From there, the Wolverines added to the lead by picking up a run in the third, two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Amber Hayes provided the knockout punch with her two-run homer in the fifth for the Wolverines.
Askews shutout bid was spoiled in the top of the seventh, when Frazee scored its lone run on a Wolverine error. She also helped her cause at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs.
The Wolverines went to the nines in the double-dip sweep of the Panthers in Park Rapids on April 18. The Wolverines used a nine-run fifth inning to seal an 18-3 five-inning victory in the first game and used a nine-run first inning to spark a 12-8 win in the nightcap.
Three hit batters along with five hits allowed the Wolverines to end the first game early via the 10-run rule. Stephanie Perkins, Guck and Kristin Hoemberg all collected run-producing singles in the frame with Hoemberg plating two.
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The Wolverines scored twice each in the first three innings and took the 9-0 lead with a three-run fourth. Park Rapids scored three times in the bottom half of the fourth.
In the nightcap, Panther starter Carly Helfrich was chased after one inning as the Wolverines raced to a 9-0 lead on doubles from Falon Kern and Ann Brakefield. Helfrich gave up three hits and walked six to take the loss.
Park Rapids tried to rally back but just couldnt overcome the Wolverines first-inning onslaught.
Brakefields RBI single in the second, Briana Grothmanns RBI flyout in the fourth and Bighams RBI-single in the sixth provided the Wolverines the insurance runs.
Kneisl pitched five innings for the Wolverines and picked up the win. She gave up eight runs on seven hits while striking out three.
In all, the Wolverines collected 18 hits and 12 walks and capitalized on eight Panther errors and five hit batsmen to complete the double-dip sweep of the Panthers.
On Tuesday, the Wolverines battled Perham in another conference doubleheader and will play in the six-team Frazee Tournament on Saturday.
Frazee at WDC on April 13
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Wolverines 7, Hornets 1
R H E
FRZ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- 1 6 3
WDC 0 2 1 2 2 0 x-7 7 4
WP-Askew (WDC)
LP-NA
WDC-Hannah Askew 2-3, R, BB; Amber Hayes 1-2, 2R, HR, 2RBI; Tina Schloeder1-3, R, BB; Falon Kern 1-4, R, RBI
WDC at Park Rapids on April 18
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Wolverines 18, Panthers 3 (Game 1)
R H E
WDC 2 2 2 3 9- 18 9 1
PR 0 0 0 3 0- 3 4 4
WP-Askew (WDC)
LP-Luther
WDC-Stephanie Perkins 2-5, 3R, 2RBI; Grothmann 0-1, R; Rachel Davis 0-0 R, 2BB; Kneisl 2-5, R; Guck 1-2, 3R, BB, RBI; Askew 1-4, 2R, HP, RBI; Schloeder 1-1, R, 2BB; Kern 0-0, R; Hoemberg 1-4, R, 2RBI; Bigham 1-3, 2R, HP, BB, RBI; Hayes 0-2, 2R, HP, BB, RBI
Wolverines 12, Panthers 8 (Game 2)
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R H E
WDC 9 1 0 1 0 1 0-12 9 4
PR 1 0 4 0 3 0 0- 8 7 4
WP-Kneisl (WDC)
LP-Helfrich
WDC-Perkins 0-2, 2R, 2BB; Kern 1-4, R, 2B, 2RBI; Kneisl 0-3, HP, BB; Askew 1-4, 2R, 2B; Bigham 2-3, 2R, 2B, RBI; Guck 0-4, R; Briana Grothmann 1-2, 2R, HP, BB, RBI; Brakefield 3-4, R, 3RBI; Kern 1-2, R, BB
WDC at Pelican Rapids on April 20
Lady Vikings 9, Wolverines 8
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R H E
WDC 1 0 1 6 0 0 0- 8 8 3
PEL 1 2 1 3 2 0 x- 9 5 6
WP-Wallace (PEL)
LP-Askew
WDC-Schloeder 1-4, R; Kendra Grothmann 1-4, 2R, 2RBI; Kneisl 3-4, 2R, 2B, SB, BB, RBI; Askew 1-4, 2B, HP, 2RBI; Hayes 1-4; Guck 0-3; Hoemberg 0-4; Brakefield 0-4, R; Braina Grothmann 1-3, R, BB
