The Iowa Lakes softball program advanced to a perfect 4-0 with two more wins against Southeast Community College. Lexi Chase picked up her second shutout of the season in game one, as the Lakers won 11-0 in five innings. Eliya Johnson followed with an impressive performance of her own, allowing one run in the Lakers 12-3 five inning win in game two.
GAME 1: 11 (ILCC), 0 (SCC) 5 innings
The Lakers pushed across their first run of the game in the second inning, when Kaitlin Ruondy led off with a double over the right fielders head. She advanced to third on a passed ball, which was quickly followed by a Mackenna Otte walk. Otte then stole second, which scored Roundy when the Strom threw the ball down to second base. With two out, Alyssa Thorson drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Karisa Hernandez singled to left to score Otte. A throw to third to try and get the advancing Thorson got away from Southeast to score Thorson and put the Lakers up 3-0. Chase pitched her second 1, 2, 3 inning of the game to keep the momentum on the Lakers side.
Bryn Bohmann and Johnson each drew a walk and Roundy singled to load the bases. A one out Otte suicide squeeze caught Southeast off guard and allowed Bohmann to score. Allie McCabe followed with a sacrifice fly to score the Lakers fifth run of the game. Chase allowed her first hit of the game in the bottom of the third. With a runner at first, Amanda Franke robbed the Storm of a homerun, catching the ball and toppling over the fence. Chase then buckled down and got back to back Southeast strikeouts.
The Lakers scored for the third straight inning on a Hernandez single, Chase double, and Bohmann sacrifice fly. Iowa Lakes completed the 11-0 win in the fifth. Four straight walks to Brielle Hogan, Otte, Thorson, and Hernandez score the first run of the inning. Chase then followed with the Lakers second grand slam of the weekend to score the final runs of the game.
The Lakers were led at the plate by Lexi Chase, going 2-4 with four runs batted in. Kaitlin Roundy was also 2-3 and Karisa Hernandez was 2-2 with two walk, two runs batted in, and two runs scored. Chase saw sixteen batters on the game, where she allowed zero runs on two hits and seven strikeouts.
GAME 2: 12 (ILCC), 3 (SCC) 5 innings
The Lakers again took the early lead in game two, when Bohmann drew a two out walk. Johnson singled to right, advancing Bohmann to third. Roundy continued her hot hitting with a single to score Bohmann.
Inning two started with a hit by pitch to Franke, before she stole second and Thorson walked. Hernandez followed with a double to score Franke and put runners at second and third. Chase hit a sac fly to score Thorson and put the Lakers up 3-0. Southeast scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the inning on two singles and a stolen base.
Roundy and the Lakers got things started in the third inning with a one out single to left field, but was forced out at second on a Paige Grafton fielder's choice. A double off the bat of Kiley Hill scored Grafton from first. Franke quickly followed with a single, scoring Hill and making the score 5-1 in favor of the Lakers. The Storm tried to get some momentum in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double, but Johnson quickly shut that down with a fly out to Franke, strikeout, and fly out to Thorson.
Iowa Lakes broke things open in the fourth, scoring six runs. Hernandez and Chase drew back to back walks, before Hernandez scored on a Bohmann single. Johnson followed with a shot over the left field fence to put the Lakers up 9-1. Grafton and Franke each homered in the inning, scoring two more runs for the Lakers. The Lakers scored their final run of the game with their fourth homerun of the game off the bat of Baylee O'Donnell.
Eliya Johnson led the Lakers at the plate, going 2-3 with three runs batted in. Amanda Franke was a perfect 2-2 with two runs scored, two runs batted in, and two stolen bases. Kaitlin Roundy also added two hits in the game. Johnson picked up her second win of the season, allowing one earned run on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Jayda Staige pitched one inning, allowing two eared runs on three hits, one walk, and one strikeout.
The Lakers will finish the weekend with a double header against Midland University JV on Sunday, March 6th at 12:00 and 2:00 PM.