MINSTER — Fort Loramie is off to a hot start — though not a fast one, due to the rainy weather that has plagued the area through the first three weeks of the season.

The Redskins split two games at Four Seasons Park in Minster on Saturday afternoon to move to 6-3 on the year. They beat Van Buren 15-4 in their first game, then lost 5-1 to the Wildcats.

Fort Loramie won its first four games before losing 6-2 and 5-0 to Versailles in a doubleheader last Saturday; the squad was short staffed against Versailles, so Saturday’s loss to Minster was its first with a full roster.

“Team wise, it’s been a really good start,” Fort Loramie coach Brad Turner said. “I like where we’re at. Hopefully we can get in a rhythm where we’re playing games and getting our rotation and substitutions and lineup figured out.

“… We’re getting it going. I’m looking forward to what we’ve got left in the season.”

Fort Loramie has a veteran roster, starting with senior Kate Ruhenkamp, who has been a key pitcher all four years. She was a first team all-Shelby County Athletic League selection as a sophomore and junior.

“She’s had a good staff to work with (each year), but she’s been our go-to for four straight years,” Turner said. “It starts and ends with her.”

Ruhenkamp was charged with the loss on Saturday after giving up three earned runs on four hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings; she struck out four batters. She pitched two perfect innings in a 30-3 win over Fairlawn on Tuesday; she gave up one hit and two walks and struck out 11 in a 17-0 win over Botkins on March 28.

Several of Fort Loramie’s hitters have had big games, including center fielder Carissa Meyer, who was 5 for 5 with 4 RBIs against the Jets last week. She hit one home run and one double.

Leadoff hitter Laney Barhorst, who is a junior left fielder, was 2 for 3 with two walks against Van Buren and 1 for 3 with a double and one run against Minster. Claire Hoying, a junior pitcher, was 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs against Van Buren; Alex Rose, a senior third baseman, was 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and one double.

“We’ve had girls taking turns,” Turner said. “Carlie Goubeaux had a real nice game against Anna, Autumn Turner against St. Henry. We’ve got a lot of balance. Laney Barhorst does good things leading off and Claire Hoying has done well.

“We’ve had good contributions throughout our entire lineup, and even girls I didn’t necessarily expect at the start of the season have been doing some good stuff, too.”

Autumn Turner, a junior, was a first team all-SCAL selection last year. She plays at short stop.

“She gives us some decent at bats,” Brad Turner said. “When she gets the ball, she barrels them. That’s what we like to see.”

Minster (11-1) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Addi Inskeep hit a two-out home run. The Wildcats scored four runs on three hits and one walk in the third; Mikaela Hoskins hit a three-run home run in the inning.

Minster pitcher Brooklyn Osterloh gave up one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out 13 batters.

“We know Osterloh was going to be around the plate and throwing strikes,” Turner said. “We were a little off speed because of the game before; Van Buren’s pitcher was a little slower. It took us a little bit of time (against Osterloh); we can build on that and work into next week.”

Fort Loramie is undefeated in Shelby County Athletic League play at 3-0; Russia (5-2) is 4-0. The squads are scheduled to face off on Monday in Russia.

“Softball is really good in our area,” Turner said. “We’ve got some really good teams and programs. It’s really a neat thing to see.”