• DMACC takes 10-0 and 11-3 decisions from Iowa Lakes CC
• Bears edge NIACC, 1-0, then lose, 12-8
• Sophomore Courtney Donahue tosses two no-hitters

Sophomore Courtney Donahue of Marshfield, Wis., threw a pair of no-hitters as the DMACC softball team swept a doubleheader against Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) on April 13 at Estherville and split a pair of games against North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) April 14 at Mason City.

In winning three of the four games, the Bears improved to 30-8 overall and 13-3 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).

Donahue's first no-hitter came in a 10-0, five-inning win in the opener against ILCC. She struck out 13 and walked two in improving to 15-2 for the season.

The Bears got Donahue a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and added to their advantage with three runs in the second, five in the third and one in the fifth. Sophomores Elle Nelson of Grimes and Campbell Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., and freshman Josie McCuddin of Truro paced DMACC with three hits apiece, including doubles by Nelson and McCuddin. Nelson and freshman Hilary Wilson of Solon drove in three runs apiece.

Wilson had a run-scoring single in the first and a two-run single in the second and Nelson drove in a run in the second and two in the third.

Nelson hit a solo home run and Wilson and freshman Delaney Milanowski of Spring Green, Wis., drove in two runs apiece as DMACC took the second game, 11-3, in six innings. Wilson had three hits in the contest and Nelson, McCuddin and freshman Kyleia Salyars of Muscatine had two hits apiece.

The Bears got a run-scoring single from Wilson in the first and Nelson stole home later in the inning to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. Nelson homered in the third to make it 3-0 and the Bears put the game away with seven runs in the fourth and one in the sixth. Milanowski had a two-run double in the fourth and McCuddin, Wilson and sophomore Hannah Ironside of Swisher drove in one run apiece. The Bears also scored a pair of runs on ILCC errors. Freshman Mia Trewin of Waukee drove in DMACC's run in the sixth with a base hit.

Sophomore Kinsley Robertson of Tiffin improved to 10-3 with the win. She went four innings, allowing three runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore Lauryn Foudree of West Des Moines pitched two innings. She surrendered on hit, struck six and walked one.

Donahue notched her second consecutive no-hitter and improved to 16-2 with a 1-0 win over NIACC. She threw all seven innings, striking out 18 and walking one.

DMACC scored the game's only run in the top of the first when freshman Breanna Caffery of Bettendorf singled and scored on Nelson's double.

NIACC took the second game, 12-8. The Trojans opened up a 2-0 lead in the first and made it a 5-0 game with three runs in the third. DMACC tied it with a five-run rally in the top of the fourth before NIACC pulled away with five runs in the bottom of the inning and two runs in the bottom of the fifth. DMACC made it respectable with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Ironside paced DMACC at the plate with two hits and five RBIs. She hit a three-run home run in the fourth and hit a two-run double in the sixth. Salyars had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs and Nelson and McCuddin had two hits apiece, including a double by Nelson.

Robertson pitched the first two and a third innings, allowing five runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Foudree went an inning and two-thirds and fell to 3-2 with the loss. She allowed five runs on four hits, struck out three and walked one. Freshman Ellie Flanagan of Coggon pitched two innings and gave up two runs on one hit. She struck out two and walked one.

The DMACC softball team will face Ellsworth Community College (ECC) in a doubleheader April 17 at Iowa Falls. ECC is 17-21 overall and 7-9 in the ICCAC. DMACC swept the Panthers by 17-3 and 16-7 scores when the two teams played April 10 at the DMACC softball diamond.