Lady 'Dogs best third-ranked Lady Westerners 3-1

Le Mars split four games at the Spencer tournament Friday and Saturday.

The Lady Bulldogs started the tournament with a 3-1 win over Class 1A No. 3 Akron-Westfield.

Kirstie Ruhland sparked the offense with a 3-for-3 plate performance that included two doubles. Le Mars totaled seven hits in the win.

Erin Kommes allowed one run on seven hits as she went the distance for the Lady 'Dogs. The eighth-grader fanned four in the win.

Later on Friday, Le Mars dropped an 8-5 decision to Class 1A's second-ranked Newell-Fonda.

The Mustangs scattered nine hits and drew one walk as they scored eight runs against starting pitcher Jordan Heidebrink. The sophomore fanned four in the loss.

The Lady Bulldogs registered 12 hits as a team, led by Emily Anderson with a 4-for-4 plate performance.

Emily TeBrink was 2-for-4 and Kelby Klein was 2-for-3. Bailey Heidebrink recorded two RBIs in the loss.

Le Mars opened Saturday's tournament play against Class 3A's third-ranked Heelan.

The Lady 'Dogs fell 7-3 but were able to scatter eight hits against the Crusaders, who scored all seven of their runs in the same inning.

Anderson shone at the plate again with a 3-for-4 performance. Kommes was 2-for-3.

The eighth-grade starter allowed seven runs on six hits and two walks as she fanned five in seven innings of play.

The Lady Bulldogs were without the play of TeBrink in the contest, as the senior suffered a minor ankle sprain in Friday's loss to Newell-Fonda.

Senior Alyssa Louison was also missing from Le Mars' lineup through the tournament as she is out with mononucleosis.

The Lady Bulldogs rebounded in the final game of the tournament with a 6-3 win over Denison-Schleswig.

Kommes gave up three runs on 12 hits in the win, but the Lady Bulldog defense backed her up as they shut down the Monarchs.

"We played really good defense that game," Le Mars assistant coach Teresa Magnussen said. "Emily Anderson had a good fielding game. She was busy that game."

Kommes fanned three and walked one in seven innings of play.

Offensively, Bailey Heidebrink boosted Le Mars with a 3-for-4 plate performance and three RBIs.

Anderson was 2-for-3 and Emily Ellefson was 2-for-4 to help power the Lady Bulldogs, who totaled nine hits in the win.

Le Mars (19-9) travel back to Spencer Monday to face the Tigers in Lakes Conference action.

In other tournament play, Akron-Westfield defeated Storm Lake 6-3 on Friday. The Lady Westerners won a 9-2 decision over Spencer on Saturday and fell 2-1 to Estherville-Lincoln Central.

Statistics were not available for the A-W contests at press time.