By Dan Karpiel
The Surveyor

The first two innings told the tale as the Berthoud High School softball team dropped a Tri-Valley Conference (TVC) game on the road in Frederick by an 8-5 final on Sept. 6.

The Lady Spartans jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage in the top of the first inning, but that lead was quickly erased when a pair of Berthoud fielding errors led to a grand slam off the bat of Frederick junior Maddie McCullough in the bottom of the frame. Another Berthoud mistake led to a three-run second for the Lady Warriors and Berthoud was unable to battle back.

“We just didn’t do enough things at the plate to expect to win a game like this,” Berthoud Head Coach Buddy Kouns said.

Berthoud’s Sarah Jorissen struck out five and walked one in six innings of work from inside the circle but also surrendered four earned runs. Kouns said Jorissen, “pitched very well,” as half of the runs that crossed the plate were unearned on account of Berthoud’s three errors. The sophomore standout also hit a solo homer and scored two runs, while shortstop Sedona Cook scored a run and drove in two in her three at-bats.

Berthoud (3-2, 3-1 conf.) will host TVC rival Holy Family at Bein Field in Berthoud on Sept. 8 before heading up to the Barnes Softball Complex in Loveland for their annual Spartan Classic Tournament on Sept. 9 and 10.