Ridge View blanks Spirit Lake 11-0 in season finale

Ridge View finished its regular season with a shutout at Spirit Lake, using a one-hitter from Zoey Aschinger and Nora Todd to beat the Indians 11-0 Monday. The win gave the Raptors five straight victories.

Cora Tesch led the offense with three hits, while Todd helped her own cause with a home run and a single. Ridge View scored once in the first inning, then broke the game open with five runs in the fifth before adding one in the sixth and four more in the seventh. The Raptors finished with 13 hits, including 12 singles and the home run, and drove in nine runs while drawing three walks.

Brynlee Grieme, Harper Cress and Madelynn Horan each had two singles. Reese Hawthorne and Todd drove in two runs apiece, while Tesch, Grieme and Horan each scored twice.

The circle work was just as sharp. Aschinger worked the first four innings, allowed one hit and struck out five without issuing a walk. Todd followed with the final three innings, allowed no hits and struck out three more, giving Ridge View a combined eight-strikeout, no-walk performance. Behind them, Ridge View committed one error and handled 27 total chances with 21 putouts and five assists.

Coach Barry Andersen said after an earlier win over Spencer, “We played much better against Spencer and Central Springs than we did on Friday ... Nora and Zoey both threw very well and our defense played much better in both games.”

Ridge View improved to 21-7 with its fifth straight win. Spirit Lake fell to 9-21 and lost for the third straight time at home.