The Iowa Lakes Softball team honored their seven sophomores by winning two games on Sunday. Eliya Johnson pitched a three hitter in the Lakers 6-3 game one win and the Laker offense put up thirteen hits in the game two 18-0 win. The Lakers are now 30-10-1 overall and 13-7 in conference.
GAME 1: 6 (ILCC), 3 (ECC)
Iowa Lakes defense shined early, turning a double play in the first inning. Johnson walked the first Panther batter before she started the double play to Mackenna Otte and Lexi Chase to record two outs. The final out of the inning came as a pop fly to Chase.
Both pitchers kept the hitters off balance, until the Lakers finally got on the board in the bottom of the third. Chase reached on an Ellsworth error, before scoring on Johnson's first homerun of the day.
The bottom of the fifth began with Chase singling and then stealing second. Karisa Hernandez then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Chase to third. Johnson again scored Chase on a single to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead. Kiley Hill entered the game to run for Johnson at first and quickly advanced herself into scoring position via a stolen base. MacKenna Jones scored Hill from second on a single up the middle. Otte entered the game for Jones and stole second on the first pitch she saw. Allie McCabe then singled to put the Lakers up 5-0.
Alyssa Thorson reached on a one out single in the sixth. She then put herself in scoring position with the Lakers sixth stolen base of the game. Thorson then advanced to third on a Chase groundout and scored on a Hernandez single to make the score 6-0 in favor of the Lakers.
The Panthers made things interesting in the top of seventh when they loaded the bases with a single, error, and walk. Johnson then got back to back strikeouts before giving up a walk and single to bring Ellsworth to within three runs. Jayda Staige entered the game to get the final out of the game to fly out to Thorson.
Eliya Johnson was 2-4 with three runs batted in at the plate. Lexi Chase was also 2-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Eliya Johnson picked up the win in the circle, allowing three runs, zero earned on three hits and five walks. She also struck out 8 batters in the game. Jayda Staige earned the save allowing zero hits.
GAME 2: 18 (ILCC), 0 (ECC) 5 innings
The Laker defense again opened up the first inning with a double play. The Panthers led off the inning with a single before Otte made a nice catch up the middle and threw it across the diamond to first to record the double play. Chase got the final out of the inning to fly out to Amanda Franke in left field.
Chase led off the bottom of the first with a four pitch walk. Hernandez then advanced Chase to second on a groundout. Johnson drew a walk and Jones put the Lakers up 3-0 with a homerun to left. Paige Grafton got things started after the homerun with a walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and then came around to score on a McCabe double.
Thorson got the Lakers four run second inning started with a leadoff walk. She advanced to third on a single from Chase. Hernandez hit a deep fly ball to center, scoring Thorson on the sacrifice fly. Back to back walks loaded the bases for Grafton. She grounded out, scoring Chase and putting the Lakers up 6-0. The final run of the inning was scored on a Ellsworth error off the bat of McCabe.
The Lakers blew the game open in the bottom of the third, when they strung together ten hits to score eleven runs. The inning started with singles from Franke and Thorson. Chase walked and Hernandez hit her second sacrifice fly of the game to score Franke. Johnson then crushed a ball over the fence to clear the bases and put the Lakers up 11-0. Otte walked and then advanced to third on a Grafton double. Both runners scampered across the plate with McCabe doubled off the fence. Hill kept the rally going with a single, scoring McCabe. Kaitlyn Halsband entered the game and doubled, putting Hill and herself in scoring position. A double from Thorson quickly followed to score Hill. With the Lakers up 16-0, back to back doubles from Hernandez and Baylee O'Donnell scored the final two runs of the game.
Alyssa Thorson was a perfect 2-2 at the plate with three runs scored. Allie McCabe added two hits of her own, driving in three runs. Karisa Hernandez drove in four runs, while MacKenna Jones drove in three runs in the game. Lexi Chase earned the win, allowing two hits in two innings. MacKenna Jones completed the shutout, allowing two hits and striking out five.
The Lakers will travel to Dakota County Technical College on Wednesday, April 27th to take on the Blue Knights. Games times will be 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Paige Grafton fielding 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.