Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – If Solon coach Brad Holub wanted to see where his team stacks up against some of the best in Class 3A he should get a pretty good idea over the next eight days.

Class 3A tenth-ranked Solon started an eight-day, 10-game stretch that features five games against top-five teams in 3A with a WAMAC doubleheader against Williamsburg on Monday in Solon.

A pair of losses to the top-ranked Raiders, 4-2 in the opener and 6-1 in the nightcap, hasn’t diminished the enthusiasm Holub has for his team in the slightest.

“I still believe we are a dang good ballclub,” Holub said. “I love our team.”
Williamsburg (13-3) scored three runs in the third inning of both games to take control on its way to a doubleheader sweep that stretched its winning streak to eight.

Solon dropped to 8-7 on the season and has lost three in a row after falling to 2A sixth-ranked Regina last Thursday.

“I think we are right there,” Holub said. “I did not think we played well against Regina, we showed up and we didn’t get engaged and ready to play until the seventh inning and then it was too late. We didn’t have that today, we showed up and competed.”

The Spartans had their opportunities in both games.

Solon took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the opener when Laeni Hinkle led off the inning with a single, stole second and scored when Kayla Meseck reached on a two-out error.

Williamsburg scored three runs in the third inning to take the lead but Solon cut the margin to one run on a solo home run to left by Hinkle in the sixth.

“It’s just getting them to believe and execute and have the confidence because I think we are right there,” Holub said. “The are a top-three team in the state, they are number one right now, they are very solid, they are good and we can play with them.”

Williamsburg jumped to a 2-0 lead in the nightcap and broke the game open with three more runs in the third.

Solon got a run back in the third on an Izzy Frees sacrifice fly but left runners on first and third.

The Spartans hit into double plays in both the fourth and fifth innings and left the bases loaded in the sixth.

“I want it so bad for them because they work their butts off and they are great kids,” Holub said. “I want it so bad for them to see the fruits of their labor because they work really hard.”

McKenna Rogers went 2-or-3 for Solon in the nightcap while Addie Miller, Maddyn Gates and Bailey Woolley all had hits.

Solon hosts Grinnell on Wednesday and before traveling to the Roland-Story tournament on Friday and Saturday where it will face 3A fifth-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central, 4A No. 2 North Polk and 4A No. 10 ADM.

The Spartans host 3A second-ranked Benton Community in a doubleheader on Monday.

“We have ten games in eight days, Monday through Monday and we play seven ranked teams,” Holub said. “We have a real murderers row right now but I love our club. They are coachable and they stay together.”

Game 1

Williamsburg                        003  000  1  –  4  5  1

Solon                                      010  001  0  –  2  5  3            

W – Jersey Metz                                             L – Kendall Jensen

HR – SOL: Laeni Hinkle. WIL: Alley Gorsh

Game 2

Williamsburg                        023  000  1  –  6  10  4

Solon                                     001  000  0  –  1   5   5

W – Alley Gorsh                                             L – Zoey Grimm

2B – WIL: Taylor Sanchez

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