It’s a case of ‘so-close’ for Chickasaws

 To say the schedule maker has been a tad unkind to the New Hampton softball team would be a gigantic understatement.Since last Saturday, the Chickasaws have played six games and all six tilts have come against ranked opponents.“The girls are hanging in there, and we’ve battled and battled,” New Hampton coach Jack Seelhammer said, “but it would just be nice to have something to show for it.”After dropping the de facto title game to Class 2A fourth-ranked Central Springs on Saturday, New Hampton dropped a 1-0 decision to Class 3A 10th-ranked Crestwood on Monday, were swept 10-0 and 4-2 by Class 1A second-ranked Kee High on Tuesday and were swept 5-3 and 3-2 by Class 4A fourth-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock Wednesday.“Really, one game we weren’t in, but the rest, we’re right there,” Seelhammer said after his team fell to 9-12 overall and 4-7 in the Northeast Iowa Conference. “I think if we get one of these, yeah, the floodgates are going to open a little.”Start with Monday’s loss to the Cadets.There was one extra base hit for New Hampton when the Chickasaws played against Crestwood, and it came at an opportune time — the bottom of the seventh inning.The rest of the story may be found in the June 24 Tribune.