Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School catcher Kaylee Rynish makes the throw to first after a bunt by an Amherst batter Monday in Bonduel. Bonduel won the game, 6-4.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Morgan Sorenson takes a swing during Monday’s game against Amherst in Bonduel. Bonduel won, 6-4.
Bonduel High School softball coach Chris Reinke wasn’t comfortable with a 5-1 lead in the second inning of Monday’s Central Wisconsin Conference-8 game against Amherst, but it proved to be enough.
The Bears, who only gave up three runs the rest of the way, held on for the 6-4 win.
“At the beginning, I wasn’t sure if the bats were going to come around,” Reinke said. “I was concerned, two runs was not enough. They’re a strong team.”
Bonduel (4-2, 4-1 CWC-8) took a four-run lead with a five-run second inning. Amherst chipped away but wasn’t able to cut the deficit.
With two outs and trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Miranda Schmidt hit a two-run single to get the scoring going for the Bears.
“She bats lead off for a reason,” Reinke said. “She finds a way to get on base, which is nice.”
Schmidt’s hit was followed by an RBI single by Alexa Reinke. Amherst pitcher Mikayla Dombrowski walked the next two batters, loading the bases to set up Kailee Pedersen, who hit a two-run single.
Amherst (3-7, 1-5) scored two runs in the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, Bonduel added a run on an Amherst error. The Falcons got another run in the sixth.
Bonduel pitcher Jennifer Dowden walked the first batter in the top of the seventh, but then the Bears’ defense put out three in a row to end the game.
Dowden went the distance and struck out seven batters. She walked four and allowed four runs on eight hits.
“I think she’s looking good,” Chris Reinke said. “She was struggling with a little bit of a sore arm last week. Hopefully she’s starting to work through that. I thought she pitched a good game.”
Dowden and Morgan Sorenson each went 2-for-3. Alexa Reinke was 2-for-4.
Dombrowski allowed six runs on 11 hits, struck out three and walked two.
Monday’s game was just the third time this season the Bears were able to play on their home field, a disadvantage the team worked to overcome.
“I really am concerned about the lack of outside practice that we’ve been able to get,” Chris Reinke said. “The batting is so different out here. There’s so many factors that have caused issues for us this year.”