Hawks champs at Hudson tourney, extend win streak to 6
HUDSON — The South Hamilton softball team extended its winning streak to six and claimed the title at the Hudson tournament on Saturday.
The Hawks (6-1) were dominant in both wins, as they took out Grundy Center, 6-1, and Hudson, 4-0.
South Hamilton was scheduled to open the day against Janesville, but the Wildcats pulled out of the tournament following the death of student Gilmore Taiber in a single-vehicle crash on Thursday.
Taylor Volkmann, the Hawks’ senior right-handed pitcher, was in the circle for the first time in more than a week and tossed a no-hitter in the title-game shutout of Hudson. Volkmann struck out 11 batters. Her bid for a perfect game was thwarted in the fourth inning when she plunked Ella Engel with a pitch.
Kenzy Grady laced two hits and drove in one run against the Pirates. Breanne Diersen and Lily Skartvedt had one RBI each.
Diersen went 4 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs in the Hawks’ semifinal romp over Grundy Center. Skartvedt added two hits, one of which was a triple, and two RBIs. Jessi Harms roped a double and earned the pitching win after she struck out 12 against just four hits allowed.
Saturday at Hudson
South Hamilton 6, Grundy Center 1
Grundy Center 000 001 0 — 1 4 3
Webster City 130 002 x — 6 10 2
Jessi Harms and Hailey Diersen. Megan Black and Erika Johnson. WP — Harms. LP — Black. Multiple hits — SH: Breanne Diersen, Lily Skartvedt. 2B — SH: B. Diersen (2), Harms. 3B — Skartvedt. RBI — SH: B. Diersen (2), Skartvedt (2), Krista Swenson.
South Hamilton 4, Hudson 0
South Hamilton 030 100 0 — 4 5 0
Hudson 000 000 0 — 0 0 4
Taylor Volkmann and Breanne Diersen. Abby Gaudian, Engel (4) and Morgan Galbraith. WP — Volkmann. LP — Gaudian. Multiple hits — SH: Kenzy Grady. RBI — SH: Grady, B. Diersen, Lily Skartvedt.