Lady Chargers Have Split At Winterset Tourney

Lady Chargers Hammer Nodaway Valley, are Edged by #2 Winterset at Winterset Tourney

The Chariton varsity girls softball team began their season in stellar fashion with a split at the Winterset Tourney this past weekend.  The Lady Chargers blew out Nodaway Valley, 10-1, in the first game and barely lost to the #2 ranked team in Class 3A, Winterset, 1-0 in the second.

In the Chariton/Nodaway Valley game, the Lady Chargers had their bats going in the first game pounding out 13 hits.  Designated hitter Maria Blong went 1-3 with a home run, one run scored, two RBIs and a walk.  Center fielder Delaney Richards went 3-4 with three singles, one run scored, one RBI, one walk and one stolen base.  Ellie Bengtson went 3-4 with two singles, a double and a run scored.  Shortstop Miranda Davis went 2-4 with two singles, a run scored, two RBIs, a sacrifice and a stolen base.  

Chariton began the game with two runs in the first to take a 2-0 lead.  The Lady Chrgers scored once more in the third and three more in the fourth to push the lead to 6-0.  The Wolverines scored once in the sixth to cut it to 6-1.  However Chariton added four more runs in the seventh to seal the deal.

Ellie Bengtson went the distance on the mound and got the win.  In seven innings she gave up one earned run on three hits while striking out 11 and walking five.

At the plate, right fielder, Emily Grismore, went 1-3 with a single, three runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases.  Second baseman Kylie Bengtson went 1-3 with a single, a run scored, two RBIs, a walk and a sacrifice.

Third baseman, Chelsea McGee, went 1-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.  Left fielder Kourtney Nichols went 1-4 with a single and an RBI.  She also reached base by error once.  Catcher Emma Fuhs went 4-0.

Defensively, Chariton committed one error.  They had 21 put outs and 20 assists.  Emma Fuhs led the team in put outs with 12.  First baseman Nikki Vandelune had five and Davis had three.  McGee had one.  Ellie Bengtson led the team in assists with 13.  Kylie Bengtson and Emma Fuhs each had two.  Vandelune, Grismore and Davis each had one.

In the Winterset game, Chariton faced the #2 team in 4A and fell 1-0.  The game's only run was scored by the huskies in the sixth inning.  Ellie Bengtson again went the distance on the mound and allowed just three hits at the plate.  The Lady Chargers had nine strikeouts in this game compared to five in the first game.

In seven innings, Bengtson gave up one earned run on three hits while striking out five and walking three.  She also allowed two sacrifices.

Chariton's only hit came from Grismore who went 1-3 with a single.  Kylie Bengtson went 0-2 with a walk.  Davis and Richards each went 0-3.  Emma Fuhs, Blong, Nichols, Ellie Bengtson and McGee each went 0-2.

Chariton had 21 put outs and nine assists.  Emma Fuhs led the team in put outs with five.  Richards had four and Kylie Bengtson and Vandelune each had three.  Grismore and Davis each had two.  Nichols and Ellie Bengtson each had one.  Ellie Bengtson led the team in assists with seven.  McGee had two.