O'Gorman races past Mitchell softball in SoDak 16
May 22—SIOUX FALLS — A pair of home run blasts by Mallory Miedema wasn't enough for Mitchell softball to overcome Sioux Falls O'Gorman in the SoDak 16 on Wednesday afternoon.
With the season on the line, Miedema hit a two-run shot in the first inning, and a three-run homer in the second inning to give the Kernels an early 5-3 lead.
But it was the Knights who controlled the game from then on, scoring the final five runs to win 8-5 and advance to the Class AA state tournament in Aberdeen. The Kernels finish their season with an 8-12 record.
Miedema finished with a game-high four RBIs on two hits, while Matteah Graves and Macey Linke each added two hits. Emma Hegg, Delaney Degan and Jasmine Dirkes all had one hit for the Kernels. O'Gorman's Mary Koch pitched seven innings for the Knights, striking out five and holding the Kernels scoreless through the final five frames.
Mitchell was unable to capitalize on any of its early runs, as O'Gorman responded in the first inning with a four-hit, three-run stand to take a 3-2 lead, followed by a two-run home run by Mary Koch in the second inning to tie the game.
After O'Gorman took a 7-5 lead in the fourth inning, Mitchell had a chance to hit itself back into the game with one out and bases loaded in the fifth inning, but the Kernels struck out in consecutive at bats to end the inning. An RBI double by Ava Tobin provided the Knights with insurance in the bottom half of the fifth.
Atley Herold-Stephens led the Knights with three hits and an RBI, while Samantha Fonder added two hits and two RBIs. Mitchell's Rylee Jennings pitched six innings, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs, with three runs credited to the Kernels' two fielding errors.
