A pitchers’ duel, then a run-rule

SOLON - They're fall-ball teammates, so Emily Ira knew Amber Fiser's reputation as a fireballer.

'She's a great pitcher,” Ira said. 'I knew it was going to be a good game.

'It was fun.”

Ira matched Fiser, zero for zero, then Class 4A fifth-ranked Solon struck on Riley Ogden's infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning to outlast 3A No. 5 Benton Community, 1-0, in the first game of a Wamac Conference interdivisional softball double-header Wednesday night at the Solon High School athletic complex.

The Spartans completed the sweep with an 11-1, six-inning triumph in the nightcap to improve to 8-0.

Fiser is a sophomore for Benton who throws in the upper 60s and already has committed to Northwestern University.

Ira, an ASA teammate of Fiser with the Eastern Iowa Barracudas 18-and-under squad, was just as impressive - at least.

The junior struck out 16 in a two-hit shutout.

'Pretty much everything was working,” Ira said. 'The curve, the rise, the change ... everything.”

Taylor Nearad set the table for the game-winning rally, leading off the seventh with a double off the fence in left-center field.

'I was just trying to get on base,” Nearad said. '(Fiser), along with (Paige) Lowary (of Dallas Center-Grimes) are two of the hardest throwers we see.

'But we've been practicing with the pitching machine pretty fast.”

Nearad moved to third on Ira's groundout, then scored when Ogden tapped in front of the plate.

Fiser went home with the throw, too late, but it's doubtful she would have had a play on Ogden at first anyway.

Fiser struck out five and allowed three hits. But Benton (8-3) didn't get a runner past second base.

The second game was decisive. The Spartans rang up 16 hits, and broke it open with a six-run explosion in the bottom of the fourth.

Leadoff hitter Mallory Madsen was 3-for-4 and scored three times in the finale.

SOLON 1, BENTON COMMUNITY 0 (Game 1)

Benton Comm. 000 000 0 - 0 2 0

Solon 000 000 1 - 1 3 0

Amber Fiser and Jaicee Lyons. Emily Ira and Ali Herdliska. W - Ira (4-0). L - Fiser (4-2).

SOLON 11, BENTON COMMUNITY 1 (Game 2)

Benton Comm. 000 010 - 1 6 1

Solon 200 612 - 11 16 1

Alyssa Wiebel, Anna Stenberg (5) and Jaicee Lyons, Jessica Heilman (5). Holly Hinkel and Monika Bevans. W - Hinkel (4-0). L - Wiebel (3-1).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@sourcemedia.net