LE GRAND — Morgan Neuroth pitched a one-hit shutout and Callyn Curphy homered to help the Class 3A No. 13 East Marshall softball team stifle Hudson 8-0 in Wednesday’s cross-NICL clash.

Neuroth struck out six, walked one, and surrendered a lonely single in the fourth inning to Addie Rhoades. East Marshall (11-4) already led 5-0 by that point.

The Mustangs scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead for good. Neuroth reached on an error, Rayne McIlrath singled, and Emma Pfantz and Curphy hit back-to-back doubles. One out later, Bailey Grant and Catelyn Fisher hit consecutive singles to make it 4-0.

Curphy also singled and scored in the third, and she led off the fifth with a solo home run, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Grant ended up 3-for-3, while Pfantz and Fisher had two hits apiece.

East Marshall baseball’s big inning beats Hudson

GILMAN — Tyler Fuller hit a run-scoring triple and Blain Augspurger added a two-run single as part of East Marshall’s five-run eruption in the fourth inning of the Mustangs’ eventual 9-7 victory over Hudson in cross-NICL baseball here Wednesday night.

Hudson countered with four runs in the fifth to get within two, but that’s where the Mustang bullpen drew the line. Carter Lavendar held firm in his second inning of relief, and Xavier Slifer struck out the side in the top of the seventh to seal the victory.

Connor Kriegel finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the East Marshall offense. Augspurger was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Blake Fisher was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Brock Curtis added an RBI single for the Mustangs, who won despite issuing 11 free passes.

Christensen’s homer lifts Trojans to conference win

STATE CENTER — Kinnick Christensen drove in four runs with a double and a home run to help the Class 3A No. 9 West Marshall baseball team beat up on Perry, 11-1 in five innings, in Wednesday’s Heart of Iowa Conference tilt.

Christensen finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and a run-scoring double in the fourth. Owen Siegert went 2-for-4 with two singles and scored twice, as the duo accounted for four of West Marshall’s seven hits. Perry (1-12, 1-8) pitching issued six walks and four hit-by-pitches.

Clay Cuva pitched all five innings for the win for the Trojans (15-6, 7-1). Cuva allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk, striking out six.

Also contributing singles for the Trojan offense were Caden Pfantz, Parker Reese and Cuva.

West Marshall hosts Webster City in a non-conference contest Thursday.