Iowa Lakes Community College softball team split with Southwestern on Friday afternoon. They lost a heartbreaker in game on 5-4, before coming alive and winning game two 8-2.
Game One: ILCC (4)- SWCC (5)
The Lakers and Spartans found themselves in a pitcher's dual until the Lakers put up one run in the top of the fifth. Priscilla Lozoya bunted her way on before stealing second base. She again used her wheels to steal third and score on a Spartan error.
Southwestern quickly responded in their half of the inning. The leadoff batter walked, before Yasmine Nix got the next two batters to ground out and fly out. Back to back doubles and a Laker error put the Spartans ahead 3-1.
Iowa Lakes regained the lead in the top of the seventh, when Gabby Heckard hit a one out single. Madisyn Arechederra followed with a single of her own, before Taylor Allen drew a two out walk to bring up Annjelica Moreno-Englebrecht. Moreno-Englebrecht cleared the bases on a double that nearly left the park.
Up 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, Nix retired the first batter. Back to back ground balls and a Laker error put runners at second and third with two outs. The Southwestern batter drove a ball up the middle to earn the walk of win.
Yasmine Nix took the loss for the Lakers. She allowed five runs, three earned, on five hits and four walks, while striking out seven. Yasmine Nix and Kacie Salazar each had two hits for the Lakers, while Annjelica Moreno-Englebrecht drove in all three runs for the Lakers.
Game Two: ILCC (8)- SWCC (2)
The Lakers got things started early this game, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. Allen hit a one out homerun to give the Lakers the early 1-0 lead.
Heckard hit a one out single in the second, before advancing on a ground ball from Madeline Cantu. Lozoya put down a beautiful bunt to advance Heckard to third. Heckard was heads up and noticed the Spartans were not covering home, and quickly scampered across the plate to make the score 2-0.
Allen leadoff the third with a double to left center. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and was awarded home due to the ball leaving the field. This put the Lakers up 3-0. Southwestern got one run back in the bottom of the third. A leadoff walk followed by a double allowed the Spartans to score a run. Lexus Gorospe quickly retired the next three batters on a pop fly and two strikeouts.
The Spartans mounted a threat in the bottom of the fifth, with a leadoff walk followed by a single. Gorospe got a ground ball to shortstop, Lozoya, who got the runner out advancing to third. Another ground ball, this time to second basemen, Salazar, forced a double play to end the threat.
The Lakers used their momentum on defense to put some runs up on the board in the sixth. Heckard started the big inning with a single to left field. Cantu laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Heckard to third. Lozoya singled before Arechederra singled to load up the bases. Leadoff batter, Gorospe, hit a ball through the right side of the defense to score Heckard and Lozoya and put the Lakers up 5-1. A shot off the bat of Allen to center field scored another two runs for the Lakers, with another runner in scoring position. Moreno-Englebrecht singled down the line to drive in the Lakers final run of the game.
Southwestern were hoping some of their seventh inning luck from game one would rub off in game two, but the Lakers quickly shut that down. The Spartans leadoff batter singled and advanced to second on a walk. Another single and a Laker error allowed the Spartans to score one run and leave the bases loaded. A pop fly to Salazar at short and a line drive double play to Arechederra at second completed the 8-2 win for the Lakers.
Lexus Gorospe earned the win, going the full seven innings. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits and four walks, while striking out five. Taylor Allen hit for the cycle, going 4-4. She had three runs scored and three runs batted in. Gabby Heckard, Priscilla Lozoya, and Madisyn Arechedrra each had three hits for the Lakers.
The Lakers return home tomorrow, Saturday, April 20th, to take on Kirkwood Community College at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
Photography By: Cecil Ramsey