City High Splits With Cedar Rapids Kennedy in Matchup of Class 5A Powers
Pat Harty
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Two of the best high school softball teams in the state showed why they have that distinction as City High and Cedar Rapids Kennedy split a much-anticipated doubleheader on Wednesday at City High.
Fourth-ranked Kennedy won the first game 2-1 behind the pitching of senior Mary Krystofiak and junior Jayme Scheck, while second-ranked City High rolled to a 12-1 victory in the second game behind its potent offense that belted five home runs in the second game, including a grand slam by junior Ayana Lindsey.
Krystofiak started for senior ace Kaylin Kinney, who missed Wednesday’s rescheduled doubleheader due to a scheduling conflict with her Amateur Softball Association team. And with the change on the mound also came a change in pitching styles.
Kinney relies more on overpowering hitters with her fastball, while Krystofiak used an assortment of off-speed pitches that kept the Little Hawk batters off balance. Krystofiak also had the element surprise working to her advantage.
“I had no idea,” City High coach Jeff Koenig said when asked if he knew that Kinney wouldn’t be available to pitch on Wednesday. “We had prepared, and I think that hurt us a little in that first game because our pitching machine if you go up in our hitting facility is set at 65 (miles per hour) and we had been working hard.
“You know, (Kinney) throws hard, and we had been working a lot. And then we come in and see somebody that’s not throwing that hard. We just couldn't find paths to square up and that’s the tell-tale sign for us, just not enough squared up balls in our two losses.”
City High’s other loss also came in the first game of a doubleheader against Liberty High last week by a score of 8-7.
The Little Hawks stormed back to win the second game against Liberty 17-3 in just three innings, and then had a similar performance in the second game against Kennedy on Wednesday.
Lindsey and her cohorts wasted no time in taking out their frustration on Kennedy’s depleted pitching staff that was down to its fourth and fifth options.
City High scored eight runs in the second inning on eight hits, including Lindsey’s grand slam that made the score 5-1.
Lindsey combined for six hits in the doubleheader, including three home runs, and she also hit for the cycle in the two games combined.
She also went the distance on the mound in the first game, allowing just two runs while scattering eight hits.
Kennedy freshman Addy Alber smacked a solo home run in the sixth inning of the first game that proved to be difference.
“I kind of sulk on it for a little bit, but once the second game starts, you’ve got to kind of let it go and just move on to the next game,” Lindsey said. “So it’s a new pitch, new inning.”
Lindsey said it’s easier for her to hit in games when she isn’t pitching, partly because she has less to think about. She plays shortstop when she isn’t on the mound.
“It’s not terrible, but I feel like pitching is just a little more stressed,” Lindsey said. “It’s just a little bit harder to manage.”
Lindsey appears to be finding her groove at the plate after a slow start by her incredibly high standards.
“She’s seeing it well now,” Koenig said of Lindsey, who has made a verbal commitment to play softball for Northwestern. “She was a little frustrated in the first couple of games. She just felt like she wasn’t seeing it well, and now she’s starting to lock in.
“And that’s always a good thing when she locks in.”
Lindsey has the luxury of batting leadoff for a deep and potent Little Hawk offense that averages over 12 runs per game.
Seniors Keli Potter and Sydney Fellows, and junior Ella Cook, also hit home runs for City High in the second game.
Cook also allowed just four hits while pitching all five innings for City High in the second game.
The split gave City High a 6-2 record, while Kennedy suffered its first loss in eight games this season.
And though it still is early in this abbreviated seaso, which has been cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, Koenig sees a pattern developing with his offense that has to be corrected.
“I think if we look at our two losses, we probably hit a buck twenty-five with runners in scoring position, and I think we’re trying to do too much,” Koenig said. “And I think coming into this year, teams are trying to pitch us a little differently and we have to understand, off-speed and outside, and we’ve got to realize, okay, let’s just go to right center.
“And we’re fast enough with our hands if they try to jam us inside, we can still hit the ball to left field. We’ve just got to try not to do too much.”
Lindsey showed her ability to hit to all fields in Wednesday’s doubleheader as two of her home runs sailed over the fence in left field, and another cleared the fence in right field by at least 15 feet.
“I think we all need to just relax out there and just have fun with it like we did last year,” Lindsey said.
There is pressure on City High to live up expectations that have been building over the previous two seasons.
But there also is a sense of relief just from being able to play games because the season appeared to be in jeopardy during the spring due to the pandemic.
The season also could be interrupted if anyone associated with team should test positive for the virus.
“We want to play to the moment and take advantage of every minute we’re out here,” Lindsey said. “And just being grateful for every game we get to play.”
Game 1
City High 001 000 0 – 1 5 1
CR Kennedy 001 001 0 – 2 8 1
Mary Krystofiak, Jayme Scheck (6) and Abby Spore; Ayana Lindsey and Cary Koenig.
2B – ICH: Lindsey.
HR – CRK: Mya Dodge, Addy Alber. ICH: Ayana Lindsey
Game 2
CR Kennedy 100 00 – 1 4 1
City High 180 3x – 12 11 0
Alexis Wheatley, Topanga Beauregard (2) and Spore. Ella Cook and Keli Potter.
3B – ICH: Ayana Lindsey.
HR – CRK: Addie Parker. ICH: Ayana Lindsey (2), Ella Cook, Keli Potter, Sydney Fellows.
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