The Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team swept Northeast Community College today. The Lakers combined for 24 hits in the two games, winning the first game 12-8 and the second game 16-3 in five innings. The Lakers are now 13-23 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
GAME 1: 12 (ILCC), 8 (NCC)
The Hawks scored two runs in the first inning on three hits. They added to their lead, by scoring one run in the second on two singles and a sacrifice fly.
Iowa Lakes was able to take the 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second. Katelyn Hamm reached on a one out infield hit. She then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Avery Somers followed with a walk to put runners on the corners. Alayna Leight then stepped up and singled, scoring Hamm. Somers and Leighton were able to advance sixty feet on the throw. With runners at second and third, Abby Burgess tripled to tie the game at 3-3. Walks to Myla Murphy, Taylor Larson, and Ally Davis pushed Burgess home to give the Lakers the lead.
Hamm again got the offense going when she led off the third with a double. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Somers. Alyvia Jensen then scored Hamm on a groundout. Leighton did not let the inning end there, she singled and then stole second. Burgess then singled to score Leighton and also advanced to second on the throw. Murphy scored Burgess with a single to left to give the Lakers a 7-3 lead.
Northeast was able to score one in the fourth inning. The first batter reached on a Laker error. She then stole second and advanced to third on a single. Ally Davis was then able to catch the runner at first attempting to steal second to get the first out of the inning. A walk again put runners at the corner. A groundout to Leighton at second allowed the runner to score, but the Lakers were able to get the out at second. The final out of the inning came on a fly out to Somers in right.
The Hawks shrunk the lead to two, with another run in the fifth. This was done on two hits. Iowa Lakes quickly responded when Somers drew a one out walk in the bottom half of the inning. Jensen then singled before Burgess hit her first homerun of the day to give the Lakers a 10-5 lead. Murphy then followed with a hit by pitch and stole second to put herself into scoring position. Taylor Larson scored Murphy from second on a single to left.
Macy Alderson scored the Lakers final run on a solo homerun in the bottom of the sixth.
Northeast tried to mount a comeback in the seventh when they led off the inning with a single. A strikeout from Jolene Jordahl got the first out of the inning. A one out single put runners at first and second, before a homerun made the score 12-8. The Lakers quickly shut down the threat with a groundout to Leighton and groundout to Larson.
Abby Burgess was 3-4 with six runs batted in and three runs scored. She had a single, triple, and homerun in the game. Katelyn Hamm and Alayna Leighton were each 2-4 with two runs scored, while Taylor Larson and Alyvia Jensen each added two hits of their own. Jolene Jordahl earned the game one win. She threw four innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits and one walk, while striking out four. Taylor Larson threw three innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two strikeouts.
GAME 2: 16 (ILCC), 3 (NCC)
Northeast again jumped out to the early lead, scoring two runs in four hits and one walk. Burgess continued her hot hitting, driving her second homerun of the day over the left field fence. Walks to both Murphy and Larson put runners at second and third. The Lakers then executed a double steal, that resulted in Murphy scoring on an overthrow. With Larson at third, Hamm stepped into the box and delivered a double to put the Lakers up 3-2. Hamm advanced to third on the throw to first on a dropped third strike. Davis then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hamm from third.
The second inning saw walks to Leighton, Larson, and Hamm before Alderson hit a grand slam to extend the lead to six runs.
Somers led off the third on a single and then Leighton drew a walk to put Somers in scoring position. This brought Burgess back up to the plate, driving in Somers on a single to right. Murphy loaded the bases back up on an infield single, bringing Larson to the plate. She took the first ball she saw back up the middle, scoring two and advancing Murphy to third. Hamm continued her hot hitting on the day, singling to score Murphy. Alderson pushed across the final run of the inning with a fielder's choice to give the Lakers a 13-2 lead going into the top of the fourth.
A leadoff single by Jensen and walk to Leighton allowed Burgess to get one more at bat on the day. She hit a groundball to left that was misplayed, clearing the bases.
Northeast again tried to get something going in the final inning. A leadoff fly out to Alderson in center, gave the Hawks just two outs to work with. A double and Laker error put runners on the corners. Larson then allowed a single to left to score the runner from third. Larson then finished the game herself, catching a line drive and doubling off the runner at first.
Abby Burgess again led the Lakers at the plate, going 3-4 with five runs batted in and three runs scored. Katelyn Hamm was 2-2 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, while Macy Alderson drove in five runs of her own. Taylor Larson went the distance, throwing all five innings for the Lakers. She allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits, one walk, and one strikeout.
Iowa Lakes will travel to Mason City, Iowa on Wednesday, April 17th, to take on North Iowa Area Community College. The games are set for 2:00 and 4:00 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Abby Burgess hitting attached.
MEDIA: For more information, please contact Head Softball Coach, Katie King at (712) 362-8367 or the Iowa Lakes sports information office at (712) 362-792