Third-ranked A-W posts 2-2 record at Spencer tourney

Akron-Westfield went 2-2 at the Spencer tournament over the weekend.

Class 1A's third-ranked squad started the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Le Mars.

Jordan Harris tossed a five-hitter with three K's in the loss.

The Lady Westerners' offense scattered seven hits against the Lady Bulldogs.

But defense was the key difference in the contest, according to A-W coach Todd Colt.

"The difference was that they made defensive plays and we made a few defensive mistakes," he said.

A-W 6, Storm Lake 3

The Lady Westerners bounced back with a 6-3 win over Storm Lake in their second game Friday.

Alison Kusler belted a three-run, bases-clearing triple in the top of the seventh to give A-W a 5-2 lead.

One more run from each squad gave the game its final score as the Lady Westerners won 6-3.

Kusler powered an A-W offense that totaled 10 hits in the win by registering three, including her three-RBI triple.

Sheriden Eastman also had three hits.

Harris surrendered three runs on six hits and fanned four in the win.

A-W 9, Spencer 2

Brandi Davis fanned seven as A-W defeated tournament host Spencer 9-2 on Saturday.

The freshman pitcher allowed two runs on four hits in the win.

"We gave up two runs in the first inning and after that Brandi settled down and pitched pretty well," Colt said.

Kusler powered the offense once again as she tallied three of A-W's seven hits.

E-LC 2, A-W 1

The Lady Westerners wrapped up tournament play with a 2-1 loss to Estherville-Lincoln Central on Saturday.

Harris tossed a five-hitter with five K's and helped herself at the plate with three of A-W's eight hits.

A-W allowed two unearned runs - one in the first and one in the second - in the loss.

The Lady Westerners scored one run in the fifth.

"Even though we went 2-2 [at the tournament], I think we're a better team from the tournament because we played excellent competition," Colt said. "We played four 3A schools. The 3A schools see excellent pitching night after night and they have excellent pitchers, so I think the tournament did us a lot of good."

A-W (21-6) returns to War Eagle Conference action Wednesday against Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn in Cleghorn.