The West Central Trojan softball team improved to 8-4 with a 9-7 road win over the Luverne Cardinals on Thursday, May 7th. The Trojans built a 5-run lead and then stopped a seventh-inning rally for the win.
Miley Travis drove home two runs with a double in the top of the first for an early 2-0 lead. Luverne tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run. West Central went back in front in the top of the third. Maddy Kunzweiler delivered a two-run double for a 4-2 lead. Again the Cardinals responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to tie the game 4-4.
Sophie Rolfson scored on an error, and Izzy McKinney was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth to put the Trojans back in front 6-4. Rolfson hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth, and Ayla Kramer added an RBI double to make the score 8-4. Teagan Lupkes hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to give West Central a five-run lead, 9-4. Luverne scored three times in the bottom of the seventh, but Rolfson fielded a ground ball cleanly at second to make the final out of the game.
M. Kunzweiler and Travis each had two hits, one a double, and two RBIs. Kramer also had two hits, one a double, with one RBI. Lupkes ended with a home run and an RBI. Rolfson had a single and an RBI. McKinney also had an RBI. Briauna Hoff pitched three innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Emery Hartman pitched four innings and allowed three runs, all unearned, on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
