The #17 ranked Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team lost to #11 Kirkwood Community College in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference regional championship game. The Eagles won 1-0 on a bottom of the eighth two out hit.
GAME 1: 1 (KCC), 0 (ILCC) 8 innings
The Lakers quickly threatened in the first inning. Lexi Chase reached on a base hit and advanced to second when Eliya Johnson was hit by a pitch. MacKenna Jones reached on a Kirkwood error to load up the bases. Iowa Lakes then hit into a double play when Kaitlin Roundy lined out to the pitcher. With Chase in the circle, the Eagles went down in order with a strikeout and two pop outs in their half of the inning.
Kirkwood had their first chance of the game to score in the second inning. They led off with a double but then also hit into a double play. A fly ball to Allie McCabe was caught in right field and then she alertly picked off the runner retreating to first base. Another Eagle single kept the inning alive, but Chase got the final out on a fly ball to Mackenna Otte at short.
The next threat of the game came from Kirkwood in the fourth inning when they got back to back one out singles. The second out came on a fly ball to Alyssa Thorson in center before Chase retired the final batter on a strikeout.
Chase led started the sixth with a double off the right field fence. She then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Bryn Bohmann. Unfortunately, the Eagles got the next two batters to strikeout to end the threat.
The top of the eighth saw Thorson reach on a walk. With one out, she stole second to get herself into scoring position. Kirkwood then got back to back Laker strikeouts to end the inning. The Lakers quickly got two outs in the bottom of the eighth on a fly out and ground out. The third batter of the inning reached on a single to right. She then stole second and scored on a double to left center to end the game.
Lexi Chase suffered the loss for the Lakers. She pitched 7.2 innings, where she allowed one earned run on eight hits and four strikeouts. Chase also led the Lakers at the plate, going 2-4.
The Lakers finish the season with a 38-12-1 record overall and a 17-7 record in the conference. They finished ranked #17 in the National Junior College Athletic Association's softball poll and had seven Iowa Community College Athletic Conference players of the week.
Photo ID: Picture of Iowa Lakes Community College Softball Team 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.