‘Good feeling’ is warranted: Alburnett softball sweeps Maquoketa Valley, improves to 9-1

ALBURNETT — The Alburnett Pirates exude an aura.

Call it a “their-year” vibe.

“We understand what we can do,” said catcher Savannah Caves, one of six seniors in the starting lineup. “We know how much potential we have.”

How much is that?

“A lot,” she answered. “I have a good feeling about us. Our pitching is really good, and we have a lot of role players that can play any role.”

The Class 2A third-ranked Pirates exhibited all of that Thursday night in a Tri-Rivers Conference softball doubleheader sweep of Maquoketa Valley — 12-2 and 4-1 — at the Martin Sports Complex.

Caves smacked a three-run home run in the first game, and her five RBIs gave her 21 this season, tied for third in the state (all classes).

“She’s seeing it well,” Alburnett Coach Brendan Drahn said. “You can tell when a hitter isn’t overthinking. Plus, she’s a competitor.”

The Pirates (9-1, 7-1 Tri-Rivers) were 2A regional semifinalists last year, dropping a 4-3 heartbreaker at Lisbon despite out-hitting the Lions, 11-3.

They returned most of their squad, and well, “next year” is here. They don’t intend to fumble it away.

“We’ve got the pieces, and they’ve been holding each other accountable,” Drahn said. “If we’re going to achieve what we want, we can’t have those slip-ups.

“We made sure we hit the ground running.”

Speaking of running ... the Pirates stole 17 bases in 18 attempts Thursday.

Alburnett spotted Maquoketa Valley (5-3, 5-3) a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1. The Pirates still trailed 2-1 before busting out with six tallies — on six hits — in the bottom of the third.

No. 9 hitter Charleigh Henricksen led off with a single, and eventually scored on an error. Gralynn Martin and Peyton Scott singled, setting the stage for Caves.

After working the count to 2-0, Caves blasted a home run to left field, her first homer of the season.

“I got one inside, that’s about it,” she said. “I focus on good contact. If it goes over, it goes over.”

A sacrifice fly by Avery Houts and an RBI single by Ingrid Landa boosted the margin to 7-2.

Houts’ two-run single in the sixth inning enacted the 10-run rule.

Landa (5-0) struck out 10 in a three-hitter, walking one and allowing no earned runs.

Drahn went with the efficient-if-not-overpowering Isabelle Graubard — “a good change of pace (from Landa and Katelynn Bowler),” he called her — in the nightcap, and Graubard held the Wildcats to one run in 6 1/3 innings before Bowler earned the save.

Lonna Wickman knocked in a run in the first inning and Caves doubled home another in the third, then Houts’ two-run homer in the fourth made it 4-0.

Houts’ shot, down the left-field line, came two batters after Ally Olmstead’s drive hit off the top of the fence in right-center for a double.

Caves is hitting .528.

“I focus on hitting,” she said. “My teammates are always hyping me up.”

Alburnett 12-4, Maquoketa Valley 2-1

At Alburnett

Game 1

Maquoketa Valley 200 000 — 2 3 5

Alburnett 106 014 — 12 10 2

Kallie Freiburger and Jada Knipper. Ingrid Landa and Savannah Caves. W — Landa (5-0). L — Freiburger (3-1). HR — ALB: Caves (3).

Game 2

Maquoketa Valley 000 000 1 — 1 8 0

Alburnett 101 200 x — 4 6 1

Ava Knipper and Addie Vorwald. Isabelle Graubard, Katelynn Bowler (7) and Savannah Caves. W — Graubard (1-0). L — Knipper (2-2). SV — Bowler (1). HR — ALB: Avery Houts (1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com