- SECC error gives DMACC a 2-1 win in the opener
- Sophomore Courtney Donahue improves to 9-1 with the win
- SECC takes the second game, 10-3
The DMACC softball team ran its record to 17-5 after splitting a doubleheader with Southeastern Community College (SECC) March 20 at West Burlington.
The Bears, ranked 12th in this week's Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), won the opener, 2-1, behind a home run by freshman Delaney Milanowski of Spring Green, Wis., and an SECC error to extend its winning streak to 12 games but the streak ended with a 10-3 SECC win in the second game.
Milanowski homered in the top of the fourth to give DMACC a 1-0 lead. That lead stood until the top of the seventh when the Bears padded their advantage with another run. Sophomore Courtney Donahue of Marshfield, Wis., began the rally with a base on balls and gave way to pinch runner, freshman Mary Walker of Fonda. Walker reached second on sacrifice bunt by sophomore Ceara Swanson of Lincoln, Neb., and came around to score when a grounder by freshman Breanna Caffery was mishandled for an SECC error.
Donahue, who struck out 10 of the first 12 batters she faced, had a no-hitter going through the bottom of the sixth before giving up a solo home run and a base hit to the first two batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh. She retired the next three batters to come away with her ninth win of the season against one loss. Donahue allowed one run on two hits, struck out 16 and walked one.
Caffery, Milanowski and freshman Josie McCuddin of Truro led DMACC with two hits apiece, including doubles by Caffery and McCuddin.
DMACC took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the second game but that lead was short-lived as SECC rallied for three runs in the bottom of the second and then broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the bottom of the fourth en route to a 10-3 win.
Sophomore Hannah Ironside of Swisher scored DMACC's run in the first when she singled, moved to third on a double by sophomore Elle Nelson of Grimes and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Campbell Kelley of Rock Island, Ill.,
The Bears tied the game at 3-3 on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Freshman Kyleia Salyars of Muscatine started the really with a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Milanowski struck out, freshman Mia Trewin of Waukee drew a base on balls and Walker replaced her as a pinch runner. Both Salyars and Walker moved up on a single by sophomore Kelsey Palmer of Cedar Rapids and scored on a double by Caffery.
SECC completed the win with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Ironside paced DMACC with a pair of singles.
Sophomore Kinsley Robertson of Tiffin fell to 5-2 with the loss. She pitched three and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Lauryn Foudree of West Des Moines went an inning and a third and allowed four runs on three hits with one strikeout and three walks. Freshman Ellie Flanagan of Coggon pitched one inning and gave up one run on two hits. She struck out two and walked one.
Doubleheaders against Iowa Western Community College (IWCC) on March 23 and Central (Neb.) Community College (CCC) on March 24 have been cancelled so the DMACC softball team will be idle until March 26 when the Bears travel to Creston to face Southwestern Community College (SWCC). SWCC, an NJCAA Division I program, is 6-8 for the season.