Cyclone SB Gets Wild Win over Denison-Schleswig, 9-7

Harlan Community's Avery Manz (6-11-26)

Cyclone SB Gets Wild Win over Denison-Schleswig, 9-7 –

(6-11-26) – It was low-scoring, fast-paced and going smooth.

Then… pandemonium.

A total of 13 runs were scored in two half innings late that allowed Harlan Community softball to win a wild 9-7 decision over Denison-Schleswig.

The game was 2-1 in favor of Harlan Community heading into the bottom of the 6th when Denison-Schleswig got the 1st three batters on and quickly tie the game on a RBI double by Marley Botteger, then score 5 more in a 6-run 6th to take a 7-2 lead into the 7th.

But the Cyclones would not go gentle into that good night, getting 5 hits and taking advantage of three Monarch errors to score 7 in the top of the 7th. Olivia Schuering has a 2-run single, Kaitlynn Schmitz and Avery Manz each had an RBI single, a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Lauren Schmitz and a sac fly by Taylor Heese.

Manz, who was 4 for 5 with 3 RBI, understands the importance of manufacturing runs when the opportunity occurs.

“When you have base runners on base, you want to score them. So, I just had that mentality, hit a ball, they scored.”

Manz says the makeup of this team is different than previous years.

“This year we have a lot of varsity experience and a lot of us have grown our confidence and some new, like Brynn (Schumacher) coming in, she's doing well and then the last few years, we were like younger classmen, so we didn't have as much experience, but now we have more confidence and our energy is better than years before.”

Lauren Schmitz would go 5 inning in the circle and early on got terrific defense from her infield, with Manz, Schumacher, and Heese each snaring key line drives to shutdown opportunities for the Monarchs to score.

“Some practice(s) we do a perfect infield, so we have to (make) perfect throws, clean dig, or grounders.... and so that led us to have more confidence in us. So, once we got that down, it's easier for us to have better throws, better plays and all that.”

Harlan Community’s win gives them a 7-5 record on the season. They’ve now matched their win total from a season ago in their first 12 games of this season.

View past scores by visiting the Iowa High School Athletic Association's website, Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union website,
or Iowa Quik Stats