Culver’s 7 errors mar semifinal loss to S. Central

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Softball

South Central (Union Mills) 9, Culver 0 (Wednesday): Aiden Molebash, Maddie Kitts and Alexis Gasanovas each had a hit, but the Culver softball team could not overcome seven errors in a loss to host South Central in a Class 1A, Sectional 51 semifinal Wednesday.

Pitching for the first time since her no-hitter against Oregon-Davis in the quarterfinals Monday, Molebash took the loss in the circle, allowing 12 hits and nine runs in six innings. She walked one and fanned five.

Culver committed seven errors that led to eight unearned runs for the Lady Satellites.

Maddy Cleek pitched a three-hitter with no walks, a hit batter and 11 strikeouts for South Central. 

Molebash reached on an error, and Gracie Milam was hit by a pitch in the first inning, but Culver left two on base. Cleek then retired 11 consecutive batters from the first inning until Kitts’ single in the fifth. 

Mailani Beach pinch ran for Kitts. Gasanovas followed with her single, but Beach was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

Culver never got another runner in scoring position.

Emily Hawkins, Brianna Schlemmer, Abigayle Zehner, Milam, Hayden Lute, Hanne Dollevoet and Kitts are the team’s seven seniors.

Culver finished 15-6. They have never won a sectional title in softball.

South Central 9, Culver 0

Culver 000 000 0 – 0 3 7

South Central 001 026 X – 9 12 1

WP – Cleek (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 11 K)

LP – Aiden Molebash (6 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)

2B – Shukitis (SC), Kalinke (SC), Burns (SC)