Joel Karnick
The Butternut Mercer Pioneer softball team fell to the Hurley Northstars 14-4 after 6 innings in conference play up in Hurley, WI on Thursday night. Hurley took advantage of a couple errors in the bottom of the first to grab a 3-0 lead. After a quick 2nd inning by both squads, the Pioneers took advantage of a couple Huley miscues along with base hits by Jersey Polencheck and Jen Klopatek to tie the score at 3-3. Hurley’s offense came alive in the bottom of the 3rd with 4 hits, a couple of walks and a few more Pioneer errors to plate 8 to grab a 11-3 lead. After a quiet 4th inning, Butternut Mercer plates a run thanks to a bunt single by Jersey Polencheck, a fielders choice by Anya Brandenberg to advance Polencheck to 3rd, followed by a 2 out base hit by Rylinn Rossi to close the gap to 11-4. Hurley scratches out a couple runs in the bottom of the 5th to push the lead up to 13-4 and then stiffens up defensively with a couple very nice plays to hold Butternut Mercer scoreless in the top of the 6th. With 2 outs and a runner on second, Hurley hits a line drive just out of the reach of the Pioneers second baseman to plate their 14th run to end the game after 6 innings. Jersey Polencheck takes the loss giving up 3 earned runs on 11 hits and 6 walks with 8 strikeouts. Next up for Butternut Mercer is a trip to Mellen to face the Granite Diggers on Monday April 15th.
