The Atlantic Trojans’ season came to an end Tuesday night as they fell to the Van Meter Bulldogs 9-1 in six innings. Ultimately, the Bulldogs were the better team. Although the game was close early, the momentum swung in the third inning. Van Meter scored five runs over the next two innings as they continued to drive the ball. Meanwhile, Bulldog pitcher Jillian Wosmansky shut down Atlantic, giving up just one hit over her three plus innings of work. Despite a few relatively quiet innings from the Bulldog bats, they found it again in the bottom of the sixth as Marah Karaidos ended the ball game on a two-run homer to walk it off and end Atlantics season.
The game was very competitive early. Both teams worked around a baserunner in the opening frame but were able to get out of it. Van Meter struck first in the bottom of the second. After Aniston Netten was hit by a pitch and stole a base, Emma Dea laid down a sacrifice bunt which was followed by a one-out RBI single from Ashlan Small to take the lead. However, Peyton McLaren was able to keep the damage at one.
The Trojans answered right back in the third. After the top of the lineup loaded the bases with a base hit and a pair of walks. After Netten threw two more balls to Jillian Saathoff, Van Meter put in Wosmansky. Saathoff laid down a perfect bunt to score Lila Wiederstein from third, and the was no play to be had. The bases full of Trojans with just one out, it was a massive opportunity to take the lead. However, Wosmansky induced back-to-back pop ups, to retire the side. It ultimately turned out to be the last time Atlantic truly threatened in the game.
Van Meter drove the ball for much of the night after this point. From the third inning onward, the Bulldogs had three RBI doubles, one of which came from Maddy Schnell who went 3-3 with two doubles, an RBI, and a walk. Hinzmann put Brynn Lamp in to pitch in the fourth and although she held the damage to a minimum in the rest of the fourth and scoreless in the fifth, they found the offense again in the sixth. After Lamp got the first two outs of the inning, a single, and an RBI double setup Karaidos to hit the walk-off two run homer.
Head coach Terry Hinzman thought execution was the biggest difference.
Outside of Schnell, Wosmansky had the biggest impact on the game for Van Meter with her unique pitching style.
Unfortunately for the Trojans five seniors played their last game for Atlantic, but Hinzmann knows their impact will be felt for years to come.
Despite not making it to the state tournament, this Trojan team accomplished most of what they set out to accomplish when the season began.
The Trojans finished the season with a record of 33-6 and were ranked eighth in the final 3A rankings.
