The Iowa Lakes Softball team took the series, winning the final two games on Saturday. The Lakers combined for 13 hits in their 8-3 game one win. Brielle Bartelt came up with the game winning single in the top of the seventh to propel the Lakers to a 7-6 victory in game two. The Lakers are now 24-10-1 on the season.
GAME 1: 8 (ILCC), 3 (MCC)
Lexi Chase reached base to lead off the game on a Marshalltown error. She then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Eliya Johnson drew a walk and then stole second. On Johnson's steal, Chase alertly scampered home. Johnson then scored on Paige Grafton's single to left. The Tigers led off the game with a triple but Johnson got the next three batters out via line out, fly out, and ground out.
The Lakers again took advantage of the Tigers defense by putting two runs up on the board in the fourth. Grafton reached base on a throwing error and two runs came across the plate on an Allison McCabe homerun. With the Lakers up 4-0 and two outs in the inning, Alyssa Thorson singled, stole second, and scored on Chase's double.
Johnson scored the Lakers sixth run of the game on a solo-homerun in the fifth inning.
The top of the sixth saw Thorson single and steal her second base of the game. Chase again drove her in with another single. Johnson singled to advance Chase to second before MacKenna Jones hit in the final Laker run of the game.
With two outs in the bottom half of the inning, Johnson allowed a double and single to make the score 8-1. Marshalltown scored their final two runs on a single and homerun.
Lexi Chase was 3-4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Alyssa Thorson was also 2-3 with one run scored. Each had three stolen bases in the game. Eliya Johnson went the distance for the Lakers, allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out seven Tiger batters.
GAME 2: 7 (ILCC), 6 (MCC)
Chase again got the Laker offense started in game two, singling up the middle. Karisa Hernandez followed with a single of her own before the bases were loaded on a Johnson four pitch walk. Jones singled to left to score both Chase and Hernandez. Marshalltown quickly responded, scoring two runs of their own on a single and homerun.
Johnson and Jones both walked to start the third. Johnson was then forced out at third on a ground ball from Grafton. Jones advanced to third on the same ball when Marshalltown had a throwing error trying to get Grafton out at first. Jones scored on a passed ball to give the Lakers a 3-2 lead.
The Lakers continued scoring in the fourth with a Thorson double. She then advanced to third on a ball in the dirt and scored on a throwing error.
With the Lakers up 4-2, Franke hit her second homerun of the weekend to put another run up on the board. Marshalltown got their bats going leading off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Back to back doubles brought them to within one run. The Tigers then used a sacrifice bunt to put the tying run just sixty feet away. They scored on an infield fielder's choice to make the score 5-5.
With their back against the walls, the Lakers delivered in the top of the seventh. Grafton led off the inning with a double. Kiley Hill then entered the game to run for Grafton. McCabe put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to advance Hill to third. Brielle Bartelt poked a ball through the middle of the infield to score Hill and give the Lakers the lead. Marshalltown made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, leading off the inning with a single. Jayda Staige got the next batter to fly out to Hernandez for the first out of the inning. A Laker error advanced the runner to second. The second out of the inning was recorded on a fielder's choice to Hernandez, before Staige got the final Tiger batter to line out to Bartelt.
Jayda Staige picked up the win for the Lakers, allowing zero runs in her two innings of work. She gave up just one hit and one walk. MacKenna Jones started the game, going five innings. She allowed five earned runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. MacKenna Jones was 1-3 with two runs batted in, while Brielle Bartelt had the biggest hit of the game with one run batted in.
The Lakers will return home to take on Central Community College on Thursday, April 21st. Games times will be 2:00 and 4:00 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Kiley Hill leading off 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.