Grafton softball still learning how to win

Grafton’s young softball team will have to bounce back quickly from a heartbreaker in Hartford on Monday.

Thanks to two bouts of snow last week, the Black Hawks are playing four games in four days this week.

They started with an 8-7 loss in the final at-bat at their new North Shore Conference rival, despite two home runs from Leona Meyer.

Tied, 7-7, going into the bottom of the seventh, Hartford put two runners on with a single and a walk. After a sacrifice, coach Ken Hunt moved everyone in to be able to throw home quickly to tag out a runner.

Hartford’s leadoff hitter popped a ball into the gap into left center, and the Orioles got a walk-off victory.

“It’s one of those games we look back on and hope we learn a bunch,” Hunt said.

Going back to a 5-4, 10-inning loss April 12 at Homestead, it was Grafton’s second straight defeat in the final at-bat.

On Monday, Meyer showed some opposite field power in clobbering two solo shots that cleared the fence in dead center and right center.

“They were no-doubters,” Hunt said.

Taylor Fritz went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Jordyn Case went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Natalie McDonald went 2-for-4.

“We hit the ball well, but we didn’t necessarily play defense well enough to win the game,” Hunt said.

Hunt said a couple of fly balls fell in due to mental errors. A diving catch in center popped out of a Hawk’s glove, and a diving try for a foul ball fell out of the first baseman’s glove. Hartford followed by scoring two runs.

The ball got past Grafton’s catcher once that allowed a runner to advance to second base and later score.

“They’re just routine things,” Hunt said.

Freshman Sara Paschke went the distance for Grafton, allowing 14 hits, eight earned runs, walking three and whiffing a season-high nine.

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when both teams notched one run. They both scored three in the next inning. Grafton added two in the sixth and tied the game with one run in the top of the seventh.

Hartford scored three runs in the sixth before its seventh-inning heroics.

The young Hawks, Hunt said, are still acquiring their killer instinct.

“The team being young, they don’t know how to win yet. You’ve got to be able to slam the door,” Hunt said.

This year’s Hawks don’t yet have the swagger that last year’s team did. Those Hawks won the NSC for the first time in school history and “down six runs with two outs in the last inning still thought we could win,” Hunt said.

Regardless of the result, Hunt and the Hawks were glad just to be outside.

“It was nice to get out there and play and we didn’t have to wear winter jackets and gloves,” he said.

The 12-day break, however, took its toll.

“I think people were kinda shaking the rust off again,” Hunt said.

Grafton slipped to 1-4 on the season and 0-4 in the conference.

The Hawks were scheduled to host Slinger on Tuesday, Whitefish Bay on Wednesday and play at rival Port Washington Thursday at 4:30 p.m. They play in a triangular tournament at Kenosha Bradford on Saturday.

The Hawks are scheduled to play at West Bend West on Monday and at West Bend East on Tuesday.

West Bend East overpowers Port, 13-4

Sophomore shortstop Keelie Schumacher clocked a solo home run in the first inning at West Bend East on Monday, but Port’s offense couldn’t keep up in a 13-4 NSC loss.

Senior outfielder Maggie Noll hit a single, stole second, advanced to third and stole home for another run.

Freshman Samanthan Martin had a double and later scored on a passed ball.

Senior Brianna Heinen pitched and got hit hard by a sharp offensive lineup. Sun Jordyn Hynst hit two home runs, and Megan Lemke and Emily Karoses each hit one. Katelyn Matenaer had a double and triple. Hynst had four RBI and Amdrea Gremonprez two.

The Suns had 15 hits.

“West Bend East can hit the ball. They hit it in spots we weren’t,” coach Ben Navigato said.

Port started out with two runs in each of the first two innings. East scored one in each of the first two frames, three in the third and eight in the fourth.

“The girls fought hard. I’m so proud of them the way they fight. They don’t give up. That’s one good thing I take with these girls, they always fight to the end,” Navigato said.

“We’ve got some work to do, but we’re getting there.”

Port was scheduled to play at West Bend West on Tuesday, host Cedarburg on Wednesday, Grafton on Thursday and  Homestead on Monday, and play at Whitefish Bay on Tuesday. All games are at 4:30 p.m.