Iowa Lakes Softball swept Northeast Community College on Saturday. The Lakers won game one 8-5 and game two 23-9 in 6 innings. Shelby Davis came up big for the Lakers in game one, bringing in 4 of the Lakers 8 runs. The Lakers had twelve extra base hits, including six homeruns in game two.
Game One: ILCC 8, NECC 5
After not playing in a week, the Lakers came out in game one a little flat. They found themselves down 2-0 entering the third inning. With one out in the third, Lauren Hein drew a walk. Leilani San Pedro then singled up the middle before Deanna Gerrard advanced the runners on a ground ball to the shortstop. Davis then hit a two out double to right center tie up the ballgame.
Both teams went quiet in the fourth before the Lakers scored two more runs in the fifth. Hein again got things started with a single. San Pedro squared around to bunt, but was hit by the pitch to put runners at first and second. Gerrard followed San Pedro's at bat with a single to load the bases. Davis and Calkins both hit behind the runners to second base to score Hein and San Pedro to put the Lakers up 4-2. The Hawks did not back down from the challenge as they scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game back up.
Desiree Lopez started the scoring in the sixth with a ball hit to the pitcher that was then bobbled by the first baseman. Julia Sullwold found her first hit of the game to put runners at first and second. Hein then hit a fly ball to right center and Lopez aggressively tagged up, advancing both her and Sullwold. San Pedro then doubled to left field to score both runners and put herself in scoring position. Gerrard followed with a triple to right center before Davis knocked in her fourth run with a double to right center.
The Hawks tried to get something going in the seventh, but fell short only scoring one run.
Courtney Calkins picked up her eighth win on the season allowing five earned runs on nine hits and five strikeouts. Shelby Davis led the Lakers at the plate going 3-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in. Leilani San Pedro was 2-3 with one double, two runs batted in, and three runs scored, while Blaney Markman was 2-3 at the plate as well.
Game Two: ILCC 23, NECC 9 (6 innings)
Iowa Lakes and Northeast went back and forth for two innings before the Lakers offense got things going in the third inning.
Entering the third inning, the score was 3-3. Leilani San Pedro led off the inning with a single before Deanna Gerrard hit her second homerun of the game over the centerfield fence. Shelby Davis took advantage of a defensive error to get herself to first base before Courtney Calkins moved her to second on a ground out to the second baseman. Blaney Markman then hit a pop fly deep to left center, to move Davis to third. Kaitlin Walsh stepped up with two outs and hit a single to left field to put the Lakers up 6-3.
The Lakers tacked on three more runs in the fourth when Hein hit a moon shot over the left field fence for her seventh homerun on the year. San Pedro then singled and stole both second and third before Gerrard hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop that was mishandled to score San Pedro. Gerrard then stole second and scored on a Davis single.
The fifth inning saw the Lakers score five runs. The inning was highlighted by a Montanna Popp homerun to right center. Northeast scored four runs in their half of the inning on six hits to make the score 13-7. The Lakers fought back in the sixth scoring ten runs on eleven hits. The Lakers allowed the Hawks to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth to complete the 23-9 win.
Offensively, the Lakers had 25 hits and five stolen bases as a team. San Pedro was 5-5 with three doubles, two runs batted in, and five runs scored. Gerrard was 4-5, while Markman, Walsh, and Popp all had three hits in the game. Hein, Gerrard, Markman, Walsh, and Popp all homered. In the circle, Kazmierski picked up the win allowing seven earned runs on fourteen hits, two walks, and two strikeouts.
The Lakers are on the road again tomorrow, Sunday, March 26th. They will take on Southwestern Community College at 12 and 2 PM.