After a weather delay, the Iowa Lakes Softball team earned themselves a sweep over North Iowa Area Community College. The Lakers took game one 24-1 in five innings and game two 15-0 in five innings. Iowa Lakes is now 34-10-1 overall and 15-7 in conference play.
GAME 1: 24 (ILCC), 1 (NIACC) 5 innings
Game one of the series started on Friday, April 29th, with the Lakers putting up nine runs in the first inning. Lexi Chase led off the game with a single. She then swiped second and scored on a Bryn Bohmann single. Eliya Johnson walked and MacKenna Jones loaded the bases with a single. Paige Grafton drew a walk, scoring Bohmann and giving the Lakers a 2-0 lead. Kaitlin Roundy singled up the middle, scoring both Johnson and Jones. An Allie McCabe walk loaded the bases for the second time in the inning. Amanda Franke hit into a fielder's choice to score Grafton. The Lakers went up 6-0 when Alyssa Thorson singled to score Roundy. A walk from Chase again loaded the bases and a Bohmann groundout scored Franke. The Lakers scored their final runs of the inning on a Trojan error.
With the Lakers up 9-0, the first three batters reached in the bottom of the first. The game was then suspended due to weather. Iowa Lakes traveled back to Mason City on Sunday, May 1st, to complete the game. They picked up where they left off with bases loaded and nobody out. Chase got the first out of the inning to strikeout. The Trojans then hit into a Chase to Johnson double play to get the Lakers out of the jam.
Paige Grafton got things started in the second when she was hit by a pitch. Kaitlin Roundy quickly followed suit getting hit by a pitch as well. Both runners advanced on a passed ball during McCabe's at bat. McCabe then delivered a bunt single to score Grafton. Franke drew a walk to load the bases, before all runners scored on a Thorson double. Chase drew a four pitch walk before Bohmann delivered her first homerun of the day. With the Lakers up 16-0, Johnson was hit by a pitch, Grafton walked, and Roundy was hit by a pitch. McCabe then cleared the fence on her first career grand slam to put the Lakers up 20-0.
The Laker bats went quiet for a few innings, before putting up four more runs in the fifth. Olivia Funk singled down the left field line but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice from Karisa Hernandez. Baylee O'Donnell walked before both runners advanced on a sacrifice fly from Jones. Brielle Hogan then delivered a two out single to score both runners. A double off the bat of Roundy advanced Hogan to third, before both runners scampered home on a Kaitlyn Halsband double.
The Trojans got their lone run of the game on a single and double in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Laker offense combined for seventeen hits in the game. Kaitlin Roundy, Brielle Hogan, Kaitlyn Halsband, and Bryn Bohmann each had two hits in the game. Bryn Bohmann had five runs batted in, while Kaitlyn Halsband and Brielle Hogan each added two. Lexi Chase earned the win in the circle, allowing zero runs on one hit, two walks, and three strikeouts. MacKenna Jones allowed one earned run on two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.
GAME 2: 15 (ILCC), 0 (NIACC)
Chase started the game with an infield hit. She was then forced out at second on a ground ball from Bohmann. A lineout by Johnson got two quick outs in the inning. Jones delivered a single to get Bohmann into scoring position, and she scored on a Roundy single to give the Lakers the 1-0 lead.
Hernandez and Franke each walked in the second to bring up Thorson. She doubled to center scoring Hernandez. Chase then scored Franke on a groundout to put the Lakers up 3-0. With Thorson at third, Bohmann hit her second homerun of the day to clear the bases. Johnson made quick work of NIACC in the bottom half of the inning. She allowed the first runner to reach on a walk before McCabe caught a pop up from a bunt attempt, and Johnson got the next two batters to strikeout to end the inning.
With the Lakers up 5-0 in the fourth, Chase reached on a walk. She advanced to second on a Bohmann ground out and scored when Johnson singled off the left field fence. MacKenna Jones kept the two out rally going with a homerun. After the homerun, Roundy drew a four pitch walk, and she came around to score on McCabe's second homerun of the day to make the score 10-0 in favor of the Lakers.
Iowa Lakes offense was not done yet, as Franke led off the top of the fifth with a double. A single up the middle from Chase scored Franke. Mackenna Otte was walked to advance Chase, and both runners came around to score on a Jayda Staige single. Staige advanced to second on a Trojan error and then went to third on a Roundy single. McCabe walked to load the bases before Hernandez doubled to give the Lakers the 15-0 lead. Staige made quick work of NIACC in the bottom of the fifth, getting the first Trojan hitter to groundout to herself. The next batter reached on a single before Grafton got the second out of the inning on an unassisted groundout. The final out of the game came on a fly ball to Brielle Bartelt in center.
The Lakers sprayed thirteen hits in the game, getting numerous girls to contribute. Lexi Chase was 2-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. MacKenna Jones and Kaitlin Roundy each had two hits in the game as well. Eliya Johnson got the win for the Lakers, allowing zero runs on two hits, one walk, and one strikeout, Jayda Staige also allowed zero runs on two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.
The Lakers will look to pick up two more wins to close out their regular season as they take on North Iowa Area Community College again tomorrow, May 2nd. Game times are set for 2:00 and 4:00 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Kaitlin Roundy catching 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.