Jessa DeMoss’ grand slam allows Benton to split with Solon in a Wamac twinbill

VAN HORNE — Seven home runs were launched at Zittergruen Field on Monday.

The last one was the grandest of all.

Jessa DeMoss lasered a grand slam down the left-field line, helping Benton Community to a 6-5 win over Class 3A No. 8 Solon in the second game of a Wamac Conference softball doubleheader.

“A lot of emotion,” DeMoss confirmed. “There were no outs, and I was confident that somebody would pick me up if I couldn’t do it.”

Instead, DeMoss did it. She did it in grand fashion.

“It felt so good,” she said. “I thought it was going to hit the fence, maybe one-hop the fence. I had no idea until our coach (at first base) gave me a high-five. I was kind of shocked.”

Solon won the opener, 8-5, and the Spartans (15-9 overall, 10-4 Wamac) appeared to be destined for a sweep. They took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning of Game 2.

Back-to-back errors opened the door for the Bobcats (18-11, 10-6), who have won 13 of 15 games since a 5-9 start. With runners at second and third, the Spartans elected to walk Ana Glawe.

Considering the fact that Glawe has a state-leading 15 homers this season, including two Monday, that was sound strategy.

But DeMoss wrecked it.

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Before that happened, the star of the night was Solon’s Kassidy Lietz, who drove in seven runs in the twinbill, including five in the opener.

Lietz hit her first two homers of the season and saw her season batting average rise from .216 to .279.

“It’s all mental for me,” Lietz said. “I’ve been putting in the work, a lot of extra tee work.

“I just let myself swing the bat and play the game I love. It worked out really well.”

Solon led throughout the opener, though both teams scored in five of seven innings. Lietz homered in the second inning for a 2-0 lead, hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a two-run single in the seventh.

Her homer in the second inning of Game 2 tied it, 2-2.

In addition to the go-ahead grand slam, DeMoss took the win in relief in the nightcap, allowing just one run (unearned) in three innings.

“I was a lot more confident (than in a Game 1 loss),” she said. “I had my changeup back.”

Solon 8-5, Benton Community 5-6

At Van Horne

Game 1

Solon 021 021 2 — 8 6 1

Benton Community 011 011 1 — 5 7 3

Maddyn Gates and Addie Miller. Jessa DeMoss, Haiden Moore (5) and Ana Glawe. W — Gates (5-3). L — DeMoss (10-6). HR — SOL: Kassidy Lietz (1), Miller (5); BC: DeMoss (3), Glawe (14).

Game 2

Solon 022 010 0 — 5 9 3

Benton Community 200 040 x — 6 7 3

Kendall Jensen and Addie Miller. Hope Moore, Paige Meyer (4), Jessa DeMoss (5) and Calista Nolte, Ana Glawe (4). W — DeMoss (11-6). L — Jensen (6-4). HR — SOL: Kassidy Lietz (2); BC: Glawe (15), DeMoss (4).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com