HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

By Brandon Hurley

Sports Editor

sports@beeherald.com

The Greene County softball team moved back over .500 with two victories Saturday in the South Hamilton Invite in Jewell. 

The Rams opened the tourney with 6-0 victory over Iowa Falls-Alden, followed by a loss to Interstate 35 (6-3) but wrapped the day up with a decisive 15-7 victory over South Hardin. 

Greene County pushed their record to 13-12 on the year with the pair of victories and sit at 5-7 in the Heart of Iowa Conference.

The Rams ran up a single run in the first and second innings against Iowa Falls-Alden, then blew things wide open with a four-run, fifth inning, securing the victory. 

Sophomore Megan Durbin was three-for-three in the tournament opener, collecting a double and a run batted-in. Freshman Jenna Beyers contributed two RBI and  hit. Carleigh Paup and Hannah Promes stroked two hits apiece as well. 

Promes tossed five innings of three hit ball, striking out two.

In Saturday’s game two loss, Interstate 35 jumped out early and took control. The Rams could never recover, giving up six runs in the opening three innings. Greene County finally got on the board in the fourth to make it 6-1 then ran across two more in the fifth, but it was too little too late. 

The Rams were back winning track in the third and final game Saturday against South Hardin, rolling up 11 runs in the opening four innings. Paup went three-for-four with a home run, a double, and three runs batted-in to go with three runs scored. 

Senior Sydney Koch collected two hits, an RBI and two walks in the win. 

Greene County started the game with four runs in the top of the first, then four more in the second. After a one-run third inning, the Rams put up six in the fourth inning. South Hardin scored  four in the first, one in the third and four in the fourth for their seven runs.

Promes pitched three innings, allowing three runs on five hits to earn the victory and move to 11-10 on the year. 

Paup leads the Rams in batting with a .452 average and 38 hits. 

Koch is the team leader in home runs (5) and runs batted in (25).  

Greene County is on the road tonight, as they take on North Polk (17-10) in Alleman. The Comets have won three of four and are third in the Heart of Iowa Conference at 8-4.