Earlham Echo

June 10, 2025

The Cardinals went to Panora on June 5 and left town with four conference wins. The softball Cards swept the Panthers, 10-2 and 6-5, while the baseball Cards won, 11-4 and 4-0.

Softball

The game of the evening was the nightcap of the softball doubleheader. The game twisted and turned until Earlham had a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the 7^th inning. With two outs and the tying run on 3^rd base, the Panthers’ leadoff hitter, Emma Walker, laced a low line drive into left centerfield. Cardinal centerfielder Kenna Harskamp dashed in, dove, and made a spectacular backhanded catch—with the ball just inches above the grass—to end the game.

“I’ve been waiting all year to get one to dive for,” said Harskamp. “I don’t really get many like that, so I thought, ‘Here’s my chance.’ I cheated that way because most of the time they had been hitting to that side.”

Diving for the ball in that situation was high risk, high reward. Playing it on the bounce to keep the potential winning run out of scoring position may have been the safer play, but Harskamp’s aggressiveness paid off.

“I thought If I went for it and caught it—it’s perfect,” she said. “But if not, they’d only get one run and we’d be tied. I had faith that we would get to another inning.”

Other heroic acts by the Cardinals preceded Harskamp’s game ender.

In the bottom of the 2^nd, the Panthers led, 3-1, and had the bases loaded with just 1 out. Eden Forcht, who pitched the opening game, came to the circle and relieved Jenna Yetter to face Bridgete White, who hit a 2-run homer in the previous inning. Forcht struck her out, then struck out the next batter, as well, to end the threat.

Coming into a game in such a high-leverage situation can be intimidating, but Forcht was ready. She has improved physically since last year, but she’s also in a little different place mentally.

“It definitely does take a high level of focus,” she said about pitching in tense situations, “but I try to remember to have fun with it. Last year was kind of a grind for me. I have to remember to keep the fun in the game and I think that’s a big part of it.”

The Cardinals’ batting star was Kenady Ridout, who drove in 4 runs. In the 3^rd inning, she lined a 2-out single into centerfield that scored Ava Harris and Harskamp to put the Cards ahead, 4-3. With the score tied at 4 in the 6th, Ridout delivered another 2-out hit, this one a double into the gap in left center, to drive in Olivia Summerville and Harris—and put the Cards on top for good.

Ridout looks to be fully recovered from a shoulder injury she suffered during wrestling season, but she hasn’t quite been hitting up to her high standards. This game should get her back on track.

“I was just super excited to hit a ball because I haven’t been hitting great so far,” she said. “It just takes time to get into it, I guess.”

Forcht pitched the final 5.2 innings and got the win. Ridout, Harskamp, and Yetter had 2 hits each. Harris had 1 hit, walked twice, and scored 4 runs.

As the visiting team in game 1, the Panthers scored 2 runs in the 1^st inning, but the Cards scored the next 10 runs to win easily. The game was called after 5 innings due to a time limit.

Forcht pitched a complete game for the win, striking out 6 batters. She also had 2 hits and drove in 5 runs.

Baseball

The Cardinals got the better of the Panthers due in part to two good pitching performances by the aces of their staff. Carter Hohertz pitched the 1^st 6 innings of game 1, allowing just 2 earned runs while striking out 8 batters. In the finale, Blake Tiemeyer pitched a complete game, scattering 6 hits and piling up 10 strikeouts.

As the home team in game 1, the Cards grabbed a 2-0 lead in the 1^st thanks to RBIs by Hohertz and A.J. Dunsky. With the score tied at 3, the Cardinals broke the game open in the 4^th by scoring 5 runs. Cash Eitel hit a run-scoring single, Jayden Jensen delivered a 2-run single, a run scored when Konnar Kellar reached on an error, and another run scored when Tiemeyer hit a sacrifice fly. The Cards added 3 more runs in the 5^th, with Austen Rodgers, Jensen, and Keller knocking in the runs.

Jensen had 2 hits and 3 RBI. Rodgers and Klayton Wolken had 2 hits each.

In game 2, the Cardinals got the only run they would need in the 1^st inning. After Tiemeyer walked and Hohertz singled, Dunsky drove in a run with a single.

The Cards got 3 insurance runs in the 5^th. Rodgers reached on an error to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Wolken walked. Tiemeyer reached on an error to plate 1 run, then Hohertz singled to score 2 more.

The Cards got just 5 hits, with Wolken and Hohertz getting 2 apiece.