Mitchell softball defeated as late spurt secures six-inning win for Watertown

MITCHELL — A five-run sixth-inning output lifted Watertown to a 10-0 run-rule win over Mitchell on Thursday afternoon at the Cadwell Sports Complex.

Though the Arrows made solid contact on swings throughout the afternoon, the Kernels played timely defense to keep the deficit manageable through five innings. Watertown scored two runs in the first, added another in the second and two more in the fourth before stringing together five runs in the final frame.

“It’s a process, and our girls got a lesson on that today,” said Mitchell coach Kent Van Overschelde. “Overall, I think we played well. We didn’t make every play and we have to work on some things, but our team and our players will learn and grow from this experience.”

For Watertown, Jaida Young and Brooklyn Gronau each scored three runs, as Young had two hits and Gronau reached twice via walk and had two runs batted in on a fourth-inning home run. Jade Lund went 3-for-3 with a walk and one RBI, while Avery Palmquist drove in two runs and Alayna Dettmann had two hits and pushed across the final run.

Jada Brown tossed all six innings for the Arrows, allowing three Mitchell hits with seven strikeouts to one walk.

Delaney Degen went 2-for-3 to lead the Kernels, with Macey Linke providing the third hit and Paige Vander Heiden drawing the lone walk. Rylee Jennings and Linke combined to throw 5 1/3 innings, as Watertown drew seven walks and notched 11 hits as a team.

Through two games, the Kernels have now felt both extremes of the game, winning 11-0 in five innings against Aberdeen Central on Monday and falling 10-0 in six innings Thursday. Van Overschelde said there are some positives to be drawn from Mitchell now knowing what it takes to win big and what it will take to compete at the top level.

Mitchell (1-1) is back at the Cadwell Sports Complex for a Monday, April 17, contest against Harrisburg.

“We have to find out where we’re at. I wouldn’t give up our experience from the other night for anything with the opportunity we had,” Van Overschelde said. “Now it’s all about how we come back from this. We know we have a young ball club and we have to overcome a few things here early.”