• Freshman Kaylie Reynolds of Muscatine leads the way with a bases-loaded double
• Freshman Haley Forret of Van Meter collects two hits and drives in two runs
• Freshman Abby Flangan of Coggon tosses a three-hitter and strikes out six

Freshman Kaylie Reynolds of Muscatine drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double and freshman Haley Forret of Van Meter came away with two runs batted in as the DMACC softball team defeated Muskegon (Mich.) Community College (MCC), 9-1, in the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Softball Championship May 25 at Oxford, Ala.

The Bears, seeded fourth, improved to 50-12 with the win. They will face fifth-seeded Highland Community College (HCC) in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. today.

DMACC took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against MCC and never looked back. The Bears coasted to the win with three runs in the third, three in the fourth and got the win via the mercy rule on a sacrifice fly by freshman Delaney Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., in the bottom of the fifth.

Freshman Abby Flanagan of Coggon improved to 20-4 for the season behind a three-hitter. She struck out six and walked a season-high four batters. Flanagan pitched out of a two-out jam in the first inning, getting Makayla Thompson on strikes after two walks and a DMACC error loaded the bases for the Jayhawks.

MCC threatened in the top of the third, putting runners at first and third with two outs, but Flanagan struck out Kayla Merrill to end that threat. The Jayhawks got their only run off Flanagan in the top of the fifth when Haley Arsenault singled, stole second and scored on a double by Kennadi Dykstra.

A two-out walk to Kelley and consecutive singles by Reynolds, freshman Jada Collins and Forret got DMACC its 2-0 lead in the first. Freshman Brionna Vasey of Des Moines, pinch-running for Kelley, came home on Collins' single and Reynolds scored on Forret's base hit.

Kelley singled and Reynolds reached on an error to begin DMACC's three-run rally in the third. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Collins and Kelley scored on Forret's second base hit of the game. Reynolds came home on a single to shortstop by freshman Kamrin Wells of Topeka, Kan., and Forret scored on a throwing error by Madison Clarke, the MCC shortstop.

Freshman Sophie Maras, who reached base on all four of her plate appearances, with two singles and two walks, walked to open the bottom of the fourth for DMACC. Freshman Abby Husak of Polk City followed with an infield single and Kelley reached on a walk to lead the bases for the Bears. Reynolds then made it a 8-0 game when she cleared the bases with a double into left field.

DMACC ended the game in the bottom of the fifth when freshman Zoey Wright of Ottumwa singled, stole second, moved to third on an infield single by freshman Jocelyn Long of Des Moines and scored on Kelley's sacrifice fly to right field.

DMACC and HCC played Feb. 27 in Enid, Okla., with the Bears coming away with a 7-5 victory. HCC is 45-7 this season.