Muscatine High School shortstop Kelsey Regennitter gathers in a ground ball in the third inning of Friday's Muskie win over Wilton at Kent-Stein Park.Derek Sawvell/Muscatine Journal

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Late-game scoring helped the Muscatine High School softball team post a pair of wins Friday at the Muskie Softball Classic.

After snapping a 2-2 deadlock with a pair of runs in the seventh inning to beat Wilton, the Muskies got all their runs in the final three innings of a 5-0 win over Keokuk.

Muscatine protected a 2-0 lead until the sixth inning when Wilton drew even with a two-out rally against Muskie pitcher Kayla Gaunt.

The Beavers, who had just one hit through the first five innings, got things going after Gaunt fanned the first two hitters in the frame. Carlee Grunder lined a single to right and Alli Dieckman followed with a hit to left.

Kara Proctor reached when her grounder to short was booted for an error. Leah Duffe made the Muskies pay, lining a two-run double down the line in left.

Gaunt avoided further damage when she got the dangerous Kaylee Proctor on a grounder back to the mound. Kaylee Proctor had delivered the game-winning hit a couple weeks ago when the Beavers edged Muscatine 7-6 at the Davenport West Invitational.

“I thought our sixth inning woes had returned,” Schuur said, referring to a loss in the late going Thursday night to Bettendorf.

But the Muskies responded in the next half inning. Chelsea Winegard got things rolling with her third hit of the game and Danielle Frere followed with a wicked line drive just out of the reach of the second baseman.

Winegard, who raced to third on the play, scored when Gaunt lofted a sacrifice fly to deep center. Frere, who had moved up to second on the throw to third trying to get Winegard on her hit, moved to third on the fly ball and scored on Erika Wagner’s grounder to short.

“It was great that the kids bounced back in the seventh inning,” said Schuur, “particularly after what happened Thursday night.”

Gaunt yielded a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, but then finished off the victory by retiring the next three hitters in order, including the final two with her fifth and sixth strikeouts.

“Kayla did a great job against a real good-hitting Wilton team,” Schuur said. “She handled their good hitters pretty well.”

The Muskies got off to a fast start, scoring a run in the first when Winegard singled with one out and came around to score when Wilton pitcher Rachel Brisker hit Frere and walked Wagner and Kassy Middagh with two outs.

Singles by Haylie Franklin, Winegard and Gaunt brought home the second run in the fifth inning.

Muscatine, ranked No. 6 in this week’s Class 4A ratings, and Keokuk, which holds down the same spot in Class 3A, battled through four scoreless innings before the Muskies broke through.

Eighth grader Kelsey Regennitter got things rolling with a leadoff triple in the fifth. Following a walk and stolen base by Laura Ewalt, Franklin snapped the deadlock with an RBI ground out. Winegard followed with an RBI double.

Winegard, who had five hits in the two games while batting second for the first time this season, started a three-run rally with a one-out double in the seventh.

Frere singled her home and Gaunt followed with a hit to left. Wagner tacked on two insurance runs with her first hit of the game.

“We were hunting for a leadoff hitter and Haylie (Franklin) has been doing a good job in that role,” said Schuur. “Now, with Chelsea hitting the ball so well at No. 2, that puts a lot of runners on there for Danielle, Kayla and Erika. Most of the time, they’re going to get them home.”

Middagh, who didn’t allow a hit in the first four innings, worked out of a pair of bases-loaded jams over the last three innings.

The Muskies, now 19-5, will play Washington at 1:45 p.m. and Fort Madison at 3:30 in today’s tournament wrap-up at Kent-Stein Park.

Reporter contact information:

Roger Bates: 563-262-0528  roger.bates@muscatinejournal.com

Muskie Softball Classic

Friday’s Scores

Muscatine 4, Wilton 2

Iowa City West 10, Davenport Central 0

Davenport West 10, Cardinal 0

Durant 2, Washington 1

Iowa City West 6, Keokuk 1

Fort Madison 6, Davenport Central 5

Muscatine 5, Keokuk 0

Davenport West 5, Durant 0

Wilton 6, Washington 5

Fort Madison 7, Cardinal 0

Today’s Games

Diamond 4 – Davenport West vs. Wilton, noon; Washington vs. Muscatine, 1:45 p.m.; Fort Madison vs. Muscatine, 3:30 p.m.

Diamond 5 – Durant vs. Davenport Central, noon; Durant vs. Cardinal, 1:45 p.m.; Davenport West vs. Iowa City West, 3:30 p.m.

Diamond 11 – Cardinal vs. Iowa City West, noon; Wilton vs. Fort Madison, 1:45 p.m.; Davenport Central vs. Washington, 3:30 p.m.

———

Muscatine 4, Wilton 2

Muscatine                 100 010 2 – 4 8 2

Wilton                       000 002 0 – 2 5 2

Kayla Gaunt & Nichole Ganzer; Rachel Brisker & Kara Proctor . Winner – Gaunt     (11-2). Loser – Brisker. Hits (2 or more) – Muscatine (Haylie Franklin 2, Chelsea Winegard 3). 2B – Wilton (Leah Duffe). RBI –Muscatine (Gaunt 2, Erika Wagner, Kassy Middagh); Wilton (Duffe 2) .

———

Muscatine 5, Keokuk 0

Muscatine               000 020 3 – 5 10 0

Keokuk                   000 000 0 – 0   6 2

Kassy Middagh & Erika Wagner; Alicia Jones & Katelyn Biting. Winner – Middagh   (8-3). Loser – Jones. Hits (2 or more) – Muscatine (Chelsea Winegard 2, Middagh 2, Kelsey Regennitter 2); Keokuk (Rikki Happs 2). 2B – (Muscatine (Winegard 2, Middagh). 3B – Muscatine (Regennitter). RBI – Muscatine (Winegard, Danielle Frere, Erika Wagner 2).

Record – Muscatine 19-5; Wilton 16-10; Keokuk 19-6.

Next game – Muscatine vs. Washington, 1:45 p.m., today in Muskie Classic.