BURLINGTON — The Humboldt High girls had their hands full with Burlington softball standout Grace Birk Thursday.
Birk, a junior, struck out 15 Lady Cub batters, setting her school’s career strikeout record in the process, while limiting Humboldt to two hits in a 6-1 victory.
Humboldt found a bit more offense in Game 2, but not enough as Burlington won 7-3 to complete the sweep.
The losses snapped Humboldt’s 10-game winning streak.
The Cubs’ only tally in the opener came in the top of the seventh. Taevyn Baylor reached on an infield single, then proceeded to steal second, third and home.
But Birk proceeded to end the game with a ground ball and two strikeouts.
Laney Hull had Humboldt’s other hit, a sixth-inning single.
Shelby Shaughnessy got the start on the mound for Humboldt, allowing two hits with five strikeouts over 2.1 innings. Jo Ellison came on in relief, giving up three hits over 3.2 innings, striking out three.
HUMBOLDT’S Skylar Hottenstein got things off on the right foot in the nightcap.
She singled with one out in the first, moved up to second when Shaughnessy walked, and then stole third and home for a 1-0 lead.
But the Wildcats responded quickly, taking a 4-1 lead.
The margin was 5-1 when Humboldt rallied in the fourth. Hadley Galloway was hit by a pitch. Pinch runner Ella Schomaker stole second and scored on a Burlington error. Hottenstein followed with an RBI single one batter later.
Baylor gave up two hits over three innings with two strikeouts. Ellison pitched three more innings of relief, giving up four hits.
Hull collected the Lady Cubs’ only extra-base hit, a triple to start the third inning. But she was left stranded.
Hottenstein singled twice. Carlie Weilert also had a single.
