Lakers Sweep Final Regular Season Games

Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team swept Northeast Community College in their final regular season games of the year. Yasmine Nix picked up the 8-0 win in five innings, while Julia Sullwold got the 7-5 win in game two. The Lakers have finished the season 22-26 overall and 11-13 in conference.

Game One: ILCC 8, NCC 0 (5 innings)

The Lakers needed just five innings in game one to beat Northeast. Julia Sullwold led off the bottom of the first with a single and quickly found herself at second base by stealing a bag. Desiree Lopez reached on a Hawks error before Leilani San Pedro loaded the bases on a fielder's choice. Sullwold scored on a passed ball and Kacie Salazar followed with a double to put the Lakers up 3-0. Yasmine Nix singled down the line to advance Salazar to third before she scored on a passed ball. Gabby Heckard then reached on an error by the third baseman, that allowed Nix to score and put the Lakers up by five.

The score remained 5-0 until the bottom of the fourth. Sullwold hit a one out single, stole second, and then scampered across the plate on a San Pedro single up the middle. Salazar continued her hot hitting with a homerun over the centerfield fence to complete the 8-0 Laker win.

Yasmine Nix pitched all five innings for the Lakers. She allowed zero runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out seven. Kacie Salazar was 2-3 with four runs batted in, two runs scored, a double, and a homerun in the game. Julia Sullwold was also 2-3 with two runs scored.

Game Two: ILCC 7, NCC 5

Iowa Lakes quickly found themselves behind in game two, when Northeast put two runs up in the top of the second inning. They did this on two hits and three walks. The Lakers quickly took the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Montanna Popp hit a one out single, before Lexi Pallisco took a walk to put runners at first and second. Lopez then singled to center to score Popp and some heads up baserunning from Pallisco advanced both runners. San Pedro then drove a ball to center to score both runners and put the Lakers on top.

Northeast tied the game back up in the top of the third with three singles. Iowa Lakes again took the lead, with a Kenlee Frank solo homerun over the centerfield fence.

The back and forth game continued in the fourth, when the Hawks scored two runs. They did this again on three singles.

Salazar tied the game at five when she hit a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the fifth. Nix and Frank quickly followed with a pair of singles, before a Heckard hit by pitch loaded up the bases. Popp then drew a walk, before Pallisco hit a sacrifice fly to score Frank to score the final run of the game for either team.

Julia Sullwold pitched the final four innings for the Lakers to pick up the win. She allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out two Hawks batters. Yasmine Nix pitched three innings in the game, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out three. Yasmine Nix also led the attack offensively, going 2-3 with one run scored. Julia Sullwold and Kenlee Frank each were 2-4, while Frank and Kacie Salazar each homered.

The Lakers will begin tournament play Friday, May 4th, at 2:00 PM against Northeast Community College in Boone, Iowa. The winner of that game will take on Des Moines Area Community College immediately after.