The #16 Iowa Lakes softball team split on the road at Ellsworth Community College, 5-4 (8 innings), and, 10-6, Thursday afternoon. The Lakers move to 28-11 overall, and have a 13-7 ICCAC record.

Game One: ILCC 5, ECC 4 (8 innings)

In game one, neither team could really get things going until the Lakers scored in the top of the fifth. Shelby Davis singled up the middle and Courtney Calkins reached on a fielder's choice. With runners at first and second, Blaney Markman laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Davis then scored on a passed ball to score the first Laker run. Kaitlin Walsh and Calkins then executed a squeeze bunt  that Walsh also reached first base on. She then stole second base and advanced on a Desiree Lopez single. Julia Sullwold followed with a ground out to the second baseman to score Walsh and put the Lakers up 3-0.

The Panthers rallied back in their half of the inning drawing a one out walk. The following batter singled and an error put the runners at second and third. Calkins got the next batter to strike out swinging, but allowed a two out single to score both runners and put the Panthers within one run.

The Lakers fought back and scored one run in the top of the sixth. Deanna Gerrard singled on a bunt and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the Panther pitcher. Davis hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Gerrard and put the Lakers up two runs. A two out fly ball to left field allowed the Panthers to score one run in their half of the sixth inning.

The Panthers capitalized on two Lakers errors in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 4-4 and send it into extra innings.

Lauren Hein led off the eighth inning with a single and advanced to second on a Leilani San Pedro sacrifice bunt. Gerrard singled to centerfield to put the Lakers up 5-4 going into the bottom of the eighth. Calkins got the first two Panther batters to ground out before another Laker error allowed a baserunner, but the defense buckled down and got the final out of the game on a ground ball to Markman.

Courtney Calkins picked up the win for the Lakers. She allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits, four walks, and five strikeouts. Deanna Gerrard led the Lakes going 2-4 with one run scored and one run batted in.

Game Two: ILCC 6, ECC 10

Unlike game one, offense was not a problem in game two. The Lakers struck first, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Sullwold singled and stole second before coming around on a San Pedro triple. Gerrard singled to left to score San Pedro and then stole her 35th base of the year. She was brought home on a single off the bat of Davis.

The Iowa Lakes defense was not crisp in game two, committing two errors in the first inning to allow the Panthers to score one run.

The Lakers got that run back in the third inning, starting with a leadoff double by San Pedro. San Pedro advanced to third and then was brought home by Davis' second sacrifice fly of the day. Calkins was not done though as she followed with a triple and then scored when the Panthers overthrew the third baseman. Calkins run put the Lakers up 5-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, the Lakers allowed the Panthers to score four runs on five hits.

Julia Pfeiffer led off the fourth inning with a walk and was advanced to second on a Montanna Popp bunt. Sullwold then hit a ball to the third baseman that was overthrown at first base, which allowed Pfeiffer to score from second. A two out error by the Lakers allowed Ellsworth to score five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Those runs were the final runs scored by either team.

Ashton Kazmierski took the loss for the Lakers. She pitched 3.2 innings and allowed ten runs, four earned. She gave up ten hits, while walking one, and striking out one batter. Kaitlyn Bowman pitched the final 2.1 innings allowing zero runs on three hits, while striking out one Panther batter. Leilani San Pedro was 3-4, with a double, triple, two runs scored, and one run batted in. Shelby Davis was 2-3 with two runs batted in.

The Lakers will travel to Kirkwood Community College on Monday, April 17th to take on the Eagles. Games times will be 1:00 and 3:00 PM