Kari Gibb/MDN Velva-Drake/Anamoose freshman Grace Balas pitches against Langdon/Edmore/Munich in the Aggies second game of the day at Scheels Complex

The Velva-Drake/Anamoose Aggies made the trip to Minot to play softball in the sunny weather on Saturday, April 27, at the South Hill Softball Complex. The Aggies played two games and won both to improve to 8-3 overall for the season.

Velva-Drake/Anamoose 12, Northern Cass 0

The Aggies used scoring in the second, third and fourth innings to win the game.

At the top of the second, junior Abigail Hudkins, freshman Jenna Lohnes and seniors Natalie Nechiporenko and HalieFletschock each singled to start the inning and the scoring. The score was 2-0 for Velva.

Senior Sienna Clemens started things off for the Aggies at the top of the third by being hit with a pitch to reach base and was replaced with seventh grader Marlee Kittleson as a courtesy runner. Kittleson subsequently stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Junior Kinley Peterson grounded out, while the throw to first allowed Kittleson to score. The score was 3-0 for Velva.

At the top of the fourth inning, with two outs, singles by Fletschock and freshman Emma Balas and an error when senior Olivia Miller popped up, loaded the bases for Clemens. The subsequent grounder allowed a run to score and bases to remain loaded. Junior Kinley Peterson lined a hard grounder to center field, scoring two more runners.

Continuing the offense, Hudkins singled and scored another runner. Nechiporenko singled and an error on the play kept the game alive. Singles by Lohnes, Kittleson and freshman Grace Balas scored runs until the third out. Score was 12-0 for Velva.

Clemens pitched the entire game for the Aggies and allowed no runs on three hits and had eight strikeouts compared to one walk. Lohnes was 3 of 3 with three RBIs while Fletschock, Hudkins and E Balas each had two hits. Nechiporenko, Peterson and G. Balas each added a hit in the win. As a team Velva was 12 of 31 batting in the win.

Velva-Drake/Anamoose 10, Langdon/Edmore/Munich 4

The Aggies scored all their runs in the first three innings- to take a 10-0 lead and then played a defensive battle to keep Langdon from catching up.

The Aggie offense got started with Miller and E. Balas being walked and Nechiporenko reaching on an error with a pop fly. Peterson grounded out but scored the second run giving Velva the 2-0 lead.

To start the second inning, Hudkins hit a triple to center and Lohnes grounded out but scored Hudkins on the hit. With one out, Fletschock was walked, Miller reached on an error and E. Balas singled to score a run. For the second out, Nechiporenko lined out. With two outs, the Aggies had a triple by Clemens that scored two, followed by Peterson reaching on an error that scored Clemens. The score was 7-0 for Velva.

At the top of the third inning, Fletschock was walked to reach first base. After a strikeout at the plate, E. Balas singled to reach base. Nechiporenko grounded out to advance the runners. WIth two outs, Clemens doubled to score the runners and Peterson singled to score Clemens. The score was 10-0 for Velva.

At this point in the game, the sun begins to cause trouble for both teams. The Cardinals ended the game with three errors that aided in the Aggies getting runners onto base and score from that point on. Velva ended the game with nine errors that kept Langdon players on base to allow for two runs at the bottom of the third inning and two more at the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Balas athletes pitched seven innings with Grace in the first four and Emma for three in relief. Between them, four runs were scored on two hits with only three batters walked and 12 batters struck out in the game. Both pitchers had zero in the earned run column.

In game two, Velva was 12 of 33 at the plate where E. Balas was 3 of 4 and Clemens was 2 of 5 with five RBIs where her hits came at opportune times. Lohnes, Hudkins and Miller each added two hits while Peterson also had a hit in the win.