The #16 Iowa Lakes softball team picked up their 22nd win of the season with a sweep over Northeast Community College.  The Lakers won the opening game 8-4, before run ruling the Hawks 10-0 in five innings. ILCC now owns a 22-7 record, including a 9-3 ICCAC record.

Game One: ILCC 8, NECC 4

Iowa Lakes opened the day with an 8-4 win in game one of the doubleheader. Sophomore Courtney Calkins picked up the win (12-1) as she pitched a complete game in which she gave up four runs on eight hits, while striking out three batters.

The Lakers jumped out in front 3-0 early in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Lauren Hein recorded a one-out double to center field before freshman Leilani San Pedro doubled to right field. Sophomore Deanna Gerrard followed with a single to score San Pedro and record her 43rd RBI of the season. Gerrard advanced to second on the throw home and then was moved to third on a ground ball out off the bat of sophomore Shelby Davis. Courtney Calkins then singled up the middle to record the final run of the inning.

The Lakers added two more runs in the second. Freshman Julia Sullwold placed a bunt single down the third base line before Hein blasted her 11th homerun of the season to put the Lakers up 5-0.

The Hawks and Lakers exchanged runs in the third inning. Calkins allowed a homerun off the bat of the Hawks leadoff batter. Davis led off the bottom of the inning with a single, but was forced out at second on a Calkins ground ball. The Hawks forgot to cover second base on the play and Calkins advanced, putting herself into scoring position. Sophomore Blaney Markman then hit a one out single to the centerfielder to score Calkins and put the Lakers up 6-1.

Northeast scored two runs on three hits in the top of the fifth to pull within three runs. Davis led off the bottom the inning with a double and advanced on a passed ball. With one out, Markman walked and Walsh drove in Davis on a single to right center. Markman advanced to third and Walsh to second on the hit. Sullwold then drove in the final run of the game for the Lakers with a single to left field.

The Hawks scored the final run of the game in the top of the fifth with a homerun.

Sullwold paced the Lakers offensively in game one, going 3-4 with one run scored and one run batted in. Hein, Davis, and Markman each had two hits in the game, while Hein homered as well.

Game Two: ILCC 10, NECC 0 (5 innings)

Freshman Ashton Kazmierski (9-5) pitched a two hit shutout to lead the Lakers to their 10-0 win in five innings.

The Lakers again started the game with a three run first inning. Sullwold singled to left field to start the game, but was then caught stealing to record the first out of the inning. Hein drew a walk to bring up San Pedro. San Pedro then drove a ball over the left center fence to put the Lakers up 2-0. Gerrard followed the homerun with a single and stolen second base before scoring on a Davis single.

The Lakers added just one run on a solo homerun by freshman Kaitlin Walsh in the bottom of the second. The bottom of the third saw the Lakers score four runs, starting with a San Pedro single up the middle. San Pedro then advanced on a passed ball and quickly crossed the plate on a single to left field by Gerrard. Gerrard took advantage of a bobbled ball in left field to scamper to second base. Davis then drove the first ball she saw to left center to score Gerrard and put herself in scoring position at second. Calkins followed suit and hit the first pitch she saw to center field to score Davis. Markman had the fifth hit of the inning to advance Calkins to third. Markman stole second and Walsh drove both runners home on a double to center field to put the Lakers up 9-0.

Iowa Lakes scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth when San Pedro led off the inning with a hit by pitch. She advanced to second on a ground ball to the pitcher off the bat of Gerrard. Calkins then drove San Pedro home to complete to 10-0, five inning win.

Offensively, San Pedro was 2-2 with a hit by pitch, homerun, three runs scored, and two runs batted in. Davis was also 2-2 with two runs batted in and one run score. Gerrard and Walsh each had two hits in the game as well, while Walsh hit her sixth homerun of the season.

Iowa Lakes continues their home stretch with a doubleheader tomorrow, April 6th, against Northwestern JV. Games will start at 5:00 and 7:00 PM.