#16 Iowa Lakes softball saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon as the Lakers split the ICCAC doubleheader against the #15 Iowa Central Tritons. The Lakers lost the opening game 3-2 in 8 innings, before winning game two 9-2. Iowa Lakes now owns a 25-8 overall record, including a 11-5 ICCAC record.
Game One: ILCC 2, ICCC 3 (8 innings)
The Lakers took advantage of some Iowa Central errors in the first two innings. Lauren Hein hit a one out single to right field in the first to start the rally. During Deanna Gerrard's at bat, the Tritons catcher tried to pick Hein off at first, but overthrew the ball, advancing Hein to third. Gerrard then hit the ball up the middle to score Hein.
Blaney Markman led off the second inning with a walk. Kaitlin Walsh then laid down a bunt but reached on a throwing error by the catcher. Markman advanced to third on the play and then scampered home on a passed ball to put the Lakers up 2-0.
Iowa Central used their speed in the fourth inning to score two runs. They scored on three hits and one walk.
Iowa Lakes had their top of the order due up in the bottom of the seventh and the game tied 2-2. Julia Sullwold led off with a single to left field. Hein then popped out to the catcher and San Pedro forced Sullwold out with a ground ball to the third baseman. Gerrard was then hit by a pitch to put the winning run at second base with two outs. The Tritons got Shelby Davis to fly out deep to left field to send the game to extra innings.
It did not take Iowa Central long to score in extras. Their leadoff batter hit the first ball she saw over the left field fence to put them up 3-2. Iowa Central sent the Iowa Lakes batters down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth to complete the win.
Calkins picked up the loss (12-2) for the Lakers. She allowed three earned runs on eleven hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Sullwold, Hein, and Gerrard got the only hits for the Lakers.
Game Two: ILCC 9, ICCC 2
Freshman Ashton Kazmierski picked up the game two win (11-5) as she pitched a complete game in which she gave up two runs, zero earned, on seven hits, while striking out two batters. Markman led the Lakers offensively going 3-4 with two doubles, a homerun, three runs scored, and one run batted. Hein was also 3-4 with a double and one run scored.
Iowa Central continued with the momentum in game two, scoring one run in the top of the first. Markman finally woke the bats up for the Lakers when she led off the second inning with a homerun. Walsh followed with a walk before Sullwold hit a one out single to the shortstop. San Pedro then hit a single up the middle that was misplayed by the centerfielder to score both Walsh and Sullwold and put herself in scoring position at second. Gerrard followed with a single to right center to score San Pedro and put the Lakers up 4-1.
Iowa Central got one run back in the third on two hits and one Laker error. Markman got things going for the Lakers again, this time with a leadoff double. Walsh reached on an error and then stole second to put two runners in scoring position with Sullwold up to bat. Her speed down the line flustered the Tritons as they tried to play quick, but threw it away to score both runners.
The Lakers would score another run in the bottom of the fourth, again with a leadoff double by Markman and a Triton error off a ground ball from Walsh.
Entering the bottom of the fifth, the Lakers were up 7-2. Hein got the rally going with a one out double down the left field line. San Pedro reached on a fielder's choice and both runners advanced on an error by the first baseman. Davis brought home the final two runs of the game on a single up the middle to complete the 9-2 win.
The Lakers will travel to Boone, Iowa Sunday, April 9th, to take on #9 Des Moines Area Community College. The game times will be 12:00 and 2:00 PM.
Photo Credit: Cecil Ramsey Photography
