- Victories include a perfect game from freshman Kierra Jungers
- Bears split two games against 17th-ranked Northeast Mississippi CC
- Two DMACC wins were shutouts
A perfect game from freshman Kierra Jungers of Fonda highlighted a 3-1 performance by the DMACC softball team in the Coach David Carnell Challenge February 28 and March 1 at Booneville, Miss.
The Bears, ranked fourth in the Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), opened play against No. 17 Northeast Mississippi CC (NEMCC) on Feb. 28 and lost, 12-10, in eight innings. They followed that performance with a 9-0 win over Shawnee Community College (SCC), also on Feb. 28.
Jungers tossed her perfect game in an 8-0 win over Mineral Area College (MAC) on March 1 and DMACC closed tournament play with a 10-2 decision against NEMCC, also on March 1.
DMACC broke an 8-8 tie with two runs in the top of the eighth, but NEMCC scored four times in the bottom of the inning to come away with the win in the Bears' tournament opener.
DMACC took a 2-0 lead in the first and had a 5-0 lead after scoring three runs in the third inning. NEMCC went ahead 6-5 with six runs in the bottom of the inning and DMACC gained a 6-6 tie with a run in the top of the fourth. Both teams scored two runs in seventh to send the game to extra innings.
Sophomore Hilary Wilson of Solon and freshman Mo Purdy of Des Moines belted home runs and drove in two runs apiece for DMACC. Freshman Ella Husak of Polk City led the Bears with three hits and sophomore Breanna Caffery of Bettendorf also drove in two runs. Extra-base hits included a triple from sophomore Mary Walker of Fonda and doubles by Caffery, sophomore Josie McCuddin of Truro and freshman Macee Reilling of Dallas Center.
Sophomore Macy Blomgren of Waukee pitched the first two and two-thirds innings for DMACC, allowing four runs on one hit. She struck out four and walked five. Freshman Jacki Baas of Bondurant pitched four innings, allowing four runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Freshman Brooklyn Baumgardner of Slater threw one inning, allowing three runs on three hits with one strikeout. She suffered the loss.
Jungers threw a three-hitter, struck out 14 and walked two in DMACC's 9-0 win over SCC in the second game on Feb. 28. The Bears took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, scored a run in the top of the third and closed out the win with five runs in the fourth. The game was called because of the mercy rule after both teams batted in the fifth.
Caffery, Reilling and Husak led DMACC with two hits apiece including a pair of doubles by Reilling and a triple from Husak. The Bears got a home run from freshman Jasey Anderson of Estherville and a freshman Reese Burke of Grimes added a double.
Jungers faced the minimum number of batters and struck out 13 in beating MAC in her second no-hitter of the young season in the opener on March 1.
DMACC took a 2-0 lead in the third and closed out the game in six innings with four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Reilling paced the Bears at the plate with a double and two singles and drove in three runs. Caffery also doubled in the game.
Walker homered, freshman Bri Tigges of Urbandale tripled and Purdy, Reilling and Husak each doubled in DMACC's 10-2 win over NEMCC in the Bears' final tournament game. DMACC got two RBIs apiece from Wilson and Purdy.
The Bears scored in every inning, getting four runs in the first, one in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and two in the fifth. NEMCC tallied its two runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Baas pitched the first four innings and came away with the win. She allowed two runs on four hits and walked two batters. Blomgren pitched one inning, allowing one hit and walking one batter.
The DMACC softball team will play in the Grand Slam Classic March 6 to 8 at Branson, Mo. The Bears will play Cowley County Community College (CCCC) and Allen County Community College (ACCC) on March 7 and will face Northern Oklahoma College-Enid (NOCE) and Neosho County Community College (NCCC) on March 8.