July 23, 2015 11:00 pm • By Seth Ashby / sashby@columbustelegram.com
COLUMBUS -- For the second straight year, the Green and Silver all-stars split a doubleheader at The Columbus Telegram/Central Community College All-Star softball game.
The Silver team won Game 1 4-3, and had control of the five-inning Game 2 before Lakeview's Logan Runge hit a two-run, walk-off single to give the Green team the 6-5 victory Thursday at Gerrard Park.
"It was so much fun and this all-star game is about the girls," Green head coach Paul Gahan said. "It's about them having fun and competing together and that's what an all-star game should be. They played good defense, had some good pitching, timely hitting and both teams got a win, so it was a great day."
Trailing 5-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning of Game 2, Cheyenna Simmerman of Centennial singled to score David City Aquinas' Olivia Fiala. Columbus High's Samantha Legler added a double and Runge battled to a full count before knocking in the game-winning single.
"I thought the entire team got together and had a good time," Silver head coach Joyce Dexter said. "We got some nice breaks, but you have to give credit to the Green team. We had some nice plays. The pitchers and catchers did well and the hitting came around when we needed it."
The Silver team put up a four-run third inning in Game 2 that put the Green team on their heels until the fifth-inning comeback.
Madison Kucera of Twin River scored on a wild pitch and McKenna Goldsmith of Seward added a two-run double. Carsen Nelson of Fort Calhoun drove in another with a hard-hit single.
After the outburst, pitchers Runge and Megan Dinkelman of Centennial were able to limit the Silver team over the next two frames.
"Logan really carried the load for us out there and Megan pitched a couple to help out and they did a good job for us," Gahan said.
In Game 1, the Silver team had a rally of its own. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Jade Prochaska of David City/East Butler hit a two-run single to score Nelson and Karli Shalon of David City/East Butler.
The Green team came back in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead after Julia Witter of Aquinas scored on a wild pitch. Silver answered when Shalon scored Goldsmith and Kucera on a two-run single.
Shalon finished the doubleheader a perfect 5 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base, as well as several key throws from the catcher and third base positions.
"Karli is a very strong player and she plays her game well," Dexter said. "She reads well and knows the pitches that she wants. You've got to give her a lot of credit because she's a leader. You can see that. The girls respect her and responded to her."
For the Green team in Game 1, Witter went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Simmerman drew three walks.
"I told the girls it's one last time for you seniors, and besides going out there on that field and having fun, get to know your teammates because you might meet up with them in college," Dexter said. "Who knows, they might be in the same dorm room and you'll have a good friend to rely on. It's a fun experience and I'm blessed that I'm a part of it."
Of the 25 players who took part in the contest, nine will play softball in college and two are inked to play basketball.
"Meeting all the girls is the best part for me," Gahan said. "Working with them, meeting them and I just enjoy watching them compete together in an all-star game setting. I think everybody had fun. I had fun."
Thursday at Gerrard Park
Game 1
Green 101 001 0 - 3 7 2
Silver 000 202 0 - 4 6 2
* Pitching: WP - Amber Scherer; LP - Logan Runge
* Green Leading Hitters: Julia Witter 2-3, Olivia Fiala 1-1, Monica Gotschall 1-3, Sheila Reichmuth 1-3, Lizzy Cunningham 1-2, Logan Runge 1-2.
* Silver Leading Hitters: Carsen Nelson 1-1, Karli Shalon 3-3, Jade Prochaska 1-3, Emily Larson 1-1, Brianna VanWinkle 1-2.
Game 2
Silver 104 00 -- 5 10 3
Green 201 03 -- 6 7 1
* Pitching: WP - Megan Dinkelman; LP - Carsen Nelson
*Silver Leading Hitters: Carsen Nelson 2-3 3B, Nyla Witzel 1-2, Destiny Williams 1-1, Jade Prochaska 1-3, Karli Shalon 2-2, Madison Kucera 2-2, McKenna Goldsmith 1-2 2B.
* Green Leading Hitters: Logan Runge 1-3, Megan Dinkelman 2-2, Monica Gotschall 1-2, Julia Witter 1-2, Cheyenna Simmerman 1-1, Samantha Legler 2-2.