The Lakers pitching staffed combined to throw two shutout games in their 16-0 and 11-0 wins over Northeast Community College. The Lakers are now 19-7-1 overall and 8-4 in conference play.
GAME 1: 16 (ILCC), 0 (NECC) 5 innings
The Lakers offense got started in the bottom of the second, when they put nine runs up on the board. Karisa Hernandez led off the inning with a walk. An Allison McCabe walk and a Amanda Franke single loaded the bases. Alyssa Thorson continued her hot hitting, singling to center to score Hernandez. A walk to Chase scored McCabe and then Bryn Bohmann doubled down the line clearing the bases and giving the Lakers a 5-0 lead. Eliya Johnson singled and her ball was misplayed to score Bohmann and advance Johnson to second. Kaitlin Roundy came up with her first single of the game to advance Johnson to third. Roundy then stole second and both her and Johnson scored on a MacKenna Jones double. The Lakers scored their final run of the inning when McCabe singled up the middle.
With the Lakers up 9-0, Northeast tried to get something started in the third. With two outs and runners at first and third, the Hawks tried to steal second. Mackenna Otte caught the ball at second and alertly threw home to get the runner out trying to advance home.
Using the momentum from the top of the third, Thorson and Chase both walked to get the Laker offense started again. Bohmann singled to score Thorson and Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases up. Walks to Baylee O'Donnell, Karisa Hernandez, Olivia Funk, and Amanda Franke put the Lakers up 14-0. They scored their final run of the inning on a Thorson sacrifice fly.
The Lakers came up with one more run in the bottom of the fourth when Kaitlyn Halsband was walked. A Northeast error on a pop fly off the bat of Brielle Bartelt advanced Halsband to third. Jones hit her second double of the game to complete the 16-0 Laker victory.
Lexi Chase picked up her third win of the week. She allowed zero runs on four hits, two strikeouts, and one walk in three innings of work. MacKenna Jones pitched 2 innings in the game. She allowed zero runs on one hit, three walks, and two strikeouts. Bryn Bohmann led the Lakers at the plate going 2-3 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. MacKenna Jones was also 2-3 with two runs batted in and one run scored.
GAME 2: 11 (ILCC), 0 (NECC) 5 innings
Iowa Lakes kept the bats rolling in game two, scoring seven runs in their first at bats. Chase led off the game with a walk and advanced to second on an infield base hit for Bohmann. Johnson doubled to score Chase and advance Bohmann to third. Jones walked to load the bases and Paige Grafton singled to score both Bohmann and Johnson. With the Lakers up 3-0, McCabe singled to load the bases. Franke followed with a single of her own to score Jones. The Hawks then committed their first error of the game to allow Grafton to score and both McCabe and Franke to advance one base. Thorson then grounded out to score McCabe and give the Lakers the 6-0 lead. The final run of the inning was scored on Bohmann's second single of the inning.
Eliya Johnson continued her strong pitching performance by getting the Hawks to go down in order in the first three innings. The Lakers scored two more runs in the third on a Johnson two run homerun.
Franke, Chase and Bohmann each walked to load up the bases in the fourth. Johnson singled to left to score Franke and Chase and make the score 11-0.
Eliya Johnson earned her second win of the weekend, allowing zero earned runs on one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts in four innings of work. Baylee O'Donnell threw one inning, where she allowed zero runs on one hit. Eliya Johnson was 3-4 with five runs batted in and two runs scored. Bryn Bohmann was 2-3, while Karisa Hernandez and Paige Grafton each added two hits in the game.
The Lakers will look to continue their four game winning streak with a pair of games against Morningside University JV on Tuesday, April 5th. Games times will be 3:00 and 5:00 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Eliya Johnson pitching attached.
MEDIA: For more information, please contact Head Softball Coach, Katie King at (712) 362-8367 or the Iowa Lakes sports information office at (712) 362-7928.
PHOTO CREDIT: Cecil Ramsey Photography