Fifth place in Class 2A is where the Estherville-Lincoln Central softball team will finish in 2011 as the Midgets capped the season with a 4-0 shutout of Nodaway Valley in the Consolation Final in Ft. Dodge on Wednesday. Junior righthander Kendall Bosch led the way scattering three hits and striking out seven batters to finish with eleven wins on the year. Offensively, Emily Kirchner was 3-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in. Sadie Winter, Morgan Schichtl, Bosch, and Taylor Lago all had two hits a piece. ELC, which earlier in the day had defeated Central Springs 6-1 behind a two-hitter from Bosch, wraps up the season at 25-12.
Recap following Cons. Semifinal win
A pitcher’s dual in Ft. Dodge blew up late with the Estherville-Lincoln Central Midgets advancing to the consolation finals of the Class 2A State Softball Tournament via a 6-1 defeat of Central Springs. ELC got on the board in the third when Macy Dahl singled in Kellie Christensen. Sadie Winter then scored on a sacrifice pop fly by Emily Kirchner and the scoring ended with Dahl crossing home after a ground out by Morgan Schichtl. Central Springs got one run back in the top of the sixth on one hit and an error. That hit was just the second recorded against junior pitcher Kendall Bosch. For insurance, the Midgets tacked on three more runs in the home half of the sixth. Christina Tendal drove in Ashley Weston on a double, which was followed by an RBI single from Taylor Lago. The sophomore later scored on a groundout by Winter. Bosch would strike out ten batters en route to her tenth win of the season. Central Springs entered the tournament at 34-1 and has now lost back-to-back games. Estherville-Lincoln Central, at 24-12, will play this afternoon at 2 against Nodaway Valley, who defeated Missouri Valley 11-5 this morning. ELC had lost to Bondurant-Farrar, 5-3, in the state quarterfinals to reach the consolation bracket.
