The Grundy Center summer sports teams went 4-0 in home games against AGWSR Monday. In a softball doubleheader that aired on 99 The Wave, the Spartans won 5-2 and 6-4. The Spartans won 12-2 in six innings and 10-0 in five innings in the baseball doubleheader.
In a back-and-forth second softball game, a three-run walkoff home run by freshman Ava Mundt was the ultimate difference. But the Cougars gave the Spartans a challenge. In the third inning, AGWSR scored twice when Claire Culver hit an RBI double, followed by Jenika Rae coming home on an off target throw. In the bottom of the third, Carlie Willis stole home, Lucy Lebo scored on a passed ball and Mundt walked with the bases loaded for a 3-2 lead. After a sacrifice fly by Trevyn Smith tied the game in the fourth, Catelynn Koop doubled to drive in the go-ahead run in the sixth.
Koop RBI double:
In the bottom of the seventh, Lauren Zajac walked and Evelyn Geerdes singled, setting up Mundt’s opportunity.
Mundt home run:
It was Mundt’s first career home run.
“It felt amazing,” Mundt says. “It was crazy to have that happen. It really pulled together the game. It was really important for all of us to go out there and try our best to hit the ball. And then when I saw those two on, I just knew I had to get us in.”
Head Coach Andy Lebo says Mundt’s home run helps encapsulate recent success.
“It’s so exciting, I’m extremely proud of her,” Lebo says. “She came up, we had one out and she’s not really been in that situation before this year at the plate and a big hit. And it’s just amazing that our team, it looks like we’re starting to turn the tide here a little bit. We lost some one-run games and two-run games. And we were in a situation where that could happen tonight, but she stepped up big. So I’m very proud of her.”
Mundt was also the starting pitcher, with four strikeouts, three walks and eight hits. Claire Culver pitched the complete game for AGWSR with one strikeout, nine walks and seven hits. AGWSR’s Brylea Metzgar and Cali Buseman each had two hits.
In the first game, the Spartans scored twice in the first inning to set the tone, and added one apiece in the second, third and fifth. Kyndra Dieken led Grundy Center with two hits and Trevyn Smith had two hits to lead the Cougars. AGWSR (2-17, 0-8 NICL-W) will host Oelwein Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Grundy Center (9-11, 3-6 NICL-W) will be at Hudson Tuesday at 6:00.
Ava Mundt interview:
Andy Lebo interview:
In the first baseball game, the Spartans scored in all except the fourth inning, capping it off with six in the sixth to end the game early. Tate Jirovsky, Ryker Thoren and Judd Jirovsky each had two hits. Tate Jirovsky pitched the complete game with nine strikeouts, no walks and two hits.
In the second baseball game, Grundy Center scored three runs each in the first, third and fourth innings, and Tate Jirovsky hit the walkoff single to score a run in the fifth. He had two hits. Pete Lebo and Judd Jirovsky each drove in two runs. Ryker Thoren pitched the complete game with four strikeouts, no walks and two hits. Grundy Center (10-6, 7-3 NICL-W) will be at Hudson Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. AGWSR (4-13, 2-7 NICL-W) will host Oelwein Tuesday at 7:00.
