SPEED AND POWER

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau
New Ulm Cathedral’s Jenna Hotovec (7) smiles and points to her dugout after taking second during a nonconference softball game against Nicollet on Monday at Harman Park in New Ulm. Pictured in front is Nicollet’s Kamryn Truebenbach (1).

NEW ULM — The New Ulm Cathedral Greyhounds took every base they could and more on the way to a 16-0 shutout of the Nicollet Raiders in a nonconference softball game Monday at Harman Park.

And with an extra boost of power on Kiah Helget’s two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, the Greyhounds were able to end things early in four innings due to the 15-run lead rule.

“It was definitely just a lob down the middle and I knew that I wanted to get the run in so we could win in four innings,” Helget said. “I guess I wasn’t expecting to hit a home run, but it worked.”

Helget’s walk-off homer was one of her three hits as she finished the day going 3 for 3 with four RBIs, four runs scored and a double to go with that homer. Jenna Hotovec also was 2 for 2 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored for the Greyhounds, while Margo Finstad was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored.

Abbey Hillesheim got the four-inning shutout in the circle, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out four.

Nicollet’s hits were all singles off the bats of Leah Bode, Cason Forbrook, Jazmyn Goettlicher, Madison Kettner and Lydia Martens.

Bode took the loss in three innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits, four walks and three hit batters. She struck out one.

Morgan Black pitched the fourth for Nicollet, striking out one while allowing two hits and two earned runs.

The Greyhounds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, led by Helget’s RBI double. Ava Schmid, who had a one-out single, scored on Helget’s double. Helget and Hotovec, who walked after Helget’s double, later both scored on a wild pitch.

Five more runners scored in a five-error, two-hit second inning for the Greyhounds. Hotovec’s RBI single highlighted the inning, while wild pitches and errors brought home the other runners.

The Greyhounds increased their lead to 14-0 in a five-hit, six-run third inning that was led by Helget’s RBI single, Hotovec’s RBI double, Alexa Hornick’s RBI single and Madelyn Haala’s RBI double to right-center. Finstad doubled to left in the inning and later scored on an error.

The Greyhounds ended their day early in the fourth on Helget’s two-run homer to center with two outs.

The Raiders had two hits apiece in both the third and fourth innings but were unable to move a runner to third. After a single from Goettlicher and a one-out single to right by Kettner in the fourth, an infield fly was called before a pop out right by home plate ended the top of the inning.

The Greyhounds were also consistently taking the extra base on steals, wild pitches, hits and walks. Hotovec took second base all three times following her at-bat, once taking second after a walk and wild pitch. She also swiped third, while Helget finished the gane with two stolen bases.

“We agreed that this year we’d be aggressive on the bases,” Helget said. “And it was kind of a goal that we’d all steal more often.”

The Greyhounds (6-0) were happy to end the game early as they host Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s in a Tomahawk Conference doubleheader Tuesday at Harman Park, with Game 1 scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. start.

The Raiders (4-6), who just finished the weekend with a pair of wins over Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (11-5) and Sibley East (11-0), will have to get their bats going again at home when they host Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther in a 4:30 p.m. Valley Conference game Tuesday.