Greene County lost in Collins on Wednesday night to a highly regarded CMB team 1-0 in Heart of Iowa Activities Conference softball. The Raiders were a State Tournament team in 2016 and return their pitching and most of their lineup from last season.

Coach Tom Kennedy’s team fell to 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in the conference with the loss. The Rams also fell by a run, 7-6, on Monday in Monroe to PCM in the season opener. Both the Mustangs and Raiders are expected to compete for the HOIAC title.

Two infield throwing errors in the first inning led to the only run of the game. Greene County starting pitcher Hannah Promes and reliever Jenna Beyers limited the damage throughout the game and held the Raiders to just four hits and five walks. CMB left eight runners on base.

The Rams had eight hits, but struck out 13 times against winning pitcher Mikayla Houge and left 10 runners on base. The fourth inning was the only frame the Rams were retired in order, but Greene County never had a lead off batter reach base, and only in the seventh inning did a runner reach with only one out. The Rams had runners at first and second with one out in the last inning, but strikeouts for the second and third outs ended the game.

Promes doubled and singled, and Megan Durbin had two base hits. Faith Davis, Izzy Bravard, Jenna Beyers, and Megan Carey each had a base hit.

Greene County batters have fanned a combined 28 times in the first two games of the season.

Up next is the home opener tomorrow night with the North Polk (Alleman) Comets. The action can be heard on KG98 with the first pitch around 7:30 p.m.

The Greene County baseball team plays CMB in Collins tonight. The Raiders don’t have enough players to field a JV team, so it’s varsity only with an unusually early 5:15 p.m. starting time.