Hein Leads ILCC Softball to Sweep SWCC

Iowa Lakes Softball extended their winning streak to four yesterday with a sweep over Southwestern Community College. Lauren Hein hit a walk off double to lead ILCC to a 6-5 victory in game one. The Lakers strung four hits together in the third inning of game two to win 3-1. The Lakers improve to 18-10 overall and 9-5 in the conference.

Game One: ILCC 6, SWCC 5

Lauren Hein brought home the winning run to give ILCC the lead in the seventh inning, as the Lakers hung on to beat Southwestern Community College 6-5 on Saturday.

The Lakers were held hitless and without a baserunner for the first three innings of the game and SWCC took advantage building a 3-0 lead after three innings. The Spartans scored one in the first and two in second for their three-run lead.

Hein scored the first Laker run in the top of the fourth on a single by Courtney Calkins. Calkins was then drove in on a double off the bat of Shelby Davis but SWCC got Drake to pop up to the shortstop to end the Laker threat.

Despite a 5-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, the Lakers did not relinquish. Davis started the inning with a single. The next two Laker batters were retired before Blaney Markman singled to score Davis and spark the Laker comeback. Baylee Bechen then singled to third base, before a Spartan error on Brittany Evans hit loaded the bases. Hein then stepped in and hit a base clearing double to win the game 6-5.

Drake picked up the win for the Lakers allowing ten hits and three strike outs. Hein led the Lakers at the plate going 4-4 with three extra base hits and three runs batted in. Shelby Davis was also 2-3 with one RBI in game one.

Game Two: ILCC 3, SWCC 1

A great pitching performance by Courtney Calkins and a third inning rally helped lead ILCC to a 3-1 victory in game two.

The Spartans scored their lone run of the game in the second inning after Abby Davis led off with a double. Calkins quickly retired the following two batters, before Davis scored on a Laker error.

Blaney Markman again started the rally for the Lakers with a leadoff single in the bottom of the third. She then scampered to second on a pass ball before scoring on a Lauren Hein double. Hein then advanced to third on an Alyson Wendland single. Hein and Wendland were both drove home on a Shelby Davis double to left center to take the led 3-1.

Both teams remained quiet until the Spartans threatened in the bottom of the sixth. SWCC loaded the bases with their three and four batters due up to bat. Calkins got the first batter to strike out before Wendland caught the third out of the inning to keep the Laker lead 3-1.

Calkins got the win for the Lakers going the distance. She gave up one run, zero earned, on five hits and one strike out. Offensively, Davis, Hein, Markman, and Wendland each had one hit.

The Lakers will be at home again tomorrow, April 10th, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. as they take on the Ellsworth Community College Panthers.