The Gehlen Catholic softball team was able to snap out of a two-game losing skid in dramatic fashion beating South O’Brien 6-4 on Wednesday night via a seventh-inning walk-off home run from Halle Walgenbach.
Gehlen Catholic had to stage a significant comeback to even have a chance at the win. The Jays were down 4-1 entering the bottom of the fourth inning when they started chipping away at the lead. Head coach Tony Kerkvliet says he reminded his team that it takes many players stringing hits together to make up that ground.
After allowing three runs in the third inning and one run in the fourth, Kennedy Paulson went on to keep the Wolverines off the board in the final three innings. Coach Kerkvliet says that was great to see.
After the Jays had tied the game in the fifth inning, neither side scored in the sixth even with the Jays loading the bases in that inning. That takes things to the seventh where Isabel Lammers reached to open the inning, and Halle Walgenbach drove her in with a two-run home run to win the game. After an 0-3 start to the game, all Walgenbach was looking to do was make solid contact.
After the ball cleared the fence, Walgenbach says she was ready to celebrate with her team at home plate.
While Walgenbach was the hero in the seventh, many Jays had their hand in the win offensively. Including Walgenbach, five of the nine Jays in the batting drove in at least one run. Coach Kerkvliet says that was good considering they have been struggling to consistently score runs lately.
The Jays improved to 6-6 with the win and are 4-1 in the War Eagle Conference. With a win like this behind them, Walgenbach says the Jays can move forward with some confidence.
Coach Kerkvliet says the Jays will be battle-tested in their next few games.
First pitch between Gehlen Catholic and Sibley-Ocheyedan on Friday is set for 7:30 PM at the Riverview Complex in Le Mars.
