Fort Madison has started to turn their season around. After a successful Holy Trinity tournament with a couple of wins, they had won three in a row. Unfortunately, they couldn’t continue their momentum on Monday night at Baxter Sports Complex, losing game one 5-3 and game two 21-3 against Burlington.

The first three innings were quiet as a pitcher’s duel was brewing between Burlington’s Kylee Hill and Fort Madison’s Jordyn Marshall. However, that started to change in the top of the fourth. Burlington’s Annabelle Allen grounded out to shortstop Nilie Menke scoring Kenlee Levinson for a 1-0 BHS lead. Burlington would add a second run. FMHS had a nice answer in the bottom of the fourth. Kylie Lumino singled to center scoring Emma Snaadt cutting Burlington’s lead to 2-1. They would tie the game 2-2 when Kenadi Allen who came in to pinch run for Lumino scored on a wild pitch. Fort Madison head coach Kyle Doherty liked the response from his team after falling behind by two runs.

“I think we built some really good at bats over the weekend that carried into this game,” Doherty said. “We knew our lineup facing their pitcher the first time was going to be touch and feel. They made adjustments in the second round and I thought our girls did a really good job of waiting for their turn to swing and executing.”

FMHS would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Ava Fuget singled to left with two outs scoring Snaadt for a 3-2 lead. Fuget was 1-2 with an RBI and a walk.

Unfortunately, Fort Madison made mistakes in the top of the seventh that would cost them. Burlington scored three runs to take the lead. Back-to-back errors opened the door for Burlington. Fort Madison had four errors in game one. With one out in the inning Bricelyn Patton singled to right scoring Hill and tying the game 3-3. Levinson who had three hits in four at bats singled to left field scoring two runs and giving Burlington a 5-3 lead.

Doherty gave credit to Burlington for making the adjustments when they needed to.

“They did a good job of placing balls at the back end of the game,” he said. “Earlier in the game we were creating outs when they had runners in scoring position and they did a good job of adjusting. Sometimes you get a girl in a crucial position or two where they don’t stay off balance. Overall, I thought we played well in the first game.”

Marshall pitched seven innings allowing 10 hits, five runs (two earned), three walks, while striking out five. Hill pitched seven innings allowing five hits, three runs, four walks, while recording 15 strikeouts.

FMHS had five hits in game one. Snaadt earned two in three plate appearances. Menke, Lumino, and Fuget had one apiece.

In game two Fort Madison found themselves in a hole they couldn’t get out of. Burlington scored 11 runs in the top of the first against FMHS starter Snaadt. Fort Madison was outhit 18-3 and had a tough night defensively with seven errors. With two on and nobody out, Burlington’s Hill hit a groundball that was misplayed by Fort Madison resulting in a 1-0 BHS lead. Ava Fawcett followed up with her first hit singling up the middle scoring two runs giving Burlington a 3-0 lead. Patton grounded out for an RBI extending the lead to 4-0. Aubree Mason singled to center scoring one for a 5-0 lead. Brandenburg singled to left scoring two making it 7-0 Two more Fort Madison errors led to Burlington scoring four more runs. Doherty sees a game like this as a challenge and an opportunity for his team moving forward.

“A game like that is very tough,” he said. “I think that’s where sports challenges you as an athlete to be resilient and move forward and push through when things aren’t going your way. The message to the team is to keep playing. Snaadt threw a great weekend for us and to ask her to pitch the second game was a lot. When you’re getting blown out you have to find a way to keep your composure and that’s exactly what being an athlete is.”

Snaadt pitched 2 1/3 innings for FMHS allowing 16 hits, 21 runs, (nine earned), four walks while striking out one. Fort Madison recorded three hits in game two. Lumino was 2-2 with a run scored. Snaadt was 1-2 with a run scored. Marshall and Madysen McGee recorded the RBIs for FMHS.

Fort Madison drops to (5-8) on the season. Next, they host Washington at Baxter Sports Complex Thursday at 7 p.m.