The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) softball team split a doubleheader against North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) April 28 at the DMACC softball diamond.
The games were originally scheduled to be played at Mason City but were moved to the DMACC facility because of inclement weather.
DMACC, ranked second nationally in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, took the opener, 5-3. NIACC, which has received votes in the poll but is not ranked, won the nightcap, 10-6.
The split gives DMACC a 39-6 record and a 22-2 mark in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCA). The Bears have a four-game lead over runner-up Kirkwood Community College (KCC) heading into the final week of the regular season.
Freshman Josie Swafford of Wellston, Okla., tossed a six-hitter and belted a home run to lead DMACC in the opener. The Bears trailed 3-2 after the first inning, tied the game with a run in the top of the third and added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth.
Swafford and sophomore Avery Guy of Cedar Rapids had three hits apiece in the win and sophomore Kaisha Wells of Topeka, Kan., and freshman Ally Pickering of Winterset each had two hits. Swafford and sophomore Jayci Vos of Monroe drove in two runs apiece.
Swafford allowed three runs on six hits, struck out seven and walked one. She improved to 19-1 with the win.
NIACC overcame a 4-2 deficit after the first inning to take the second game. The Trojans opened up a 6-4 lead with four runs in the second and stretched their advantage with a run in the third and three runs on the fourth. DMACC added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.
Swafford, freshman Morgan Lewis of Cedar Rapids, sophomore Mia Ruther of Burlington, Vos and freshman Elly Schuemann of Marion had two hits apiece in the loss, including a pair of doubles from Schuemann and one by Swafford. Schuemann drove in two DMACC runs.
Freshman Dana Dunbar of Chadron, Neb., pitched the first two and a third innings and suffered the loss. She allowed seven runs on seven hits and struck out one batter. Sophomore Peyton Parker of La Porte City went an inning and two-thirds, allowing three runs on five hits and walking one batter. Freshman Ally Anderson of Atlantic threw two innings, allowing one hit, striking out two batters and walking one.
The DMACC softball team closes out the regular season with doubleheaders against Iowa Central Community College (ICCC) on May 4 and Southwestern Community College (SWCC) on May 5. All four games will be played at the DMACC softball diamond. ICCC is 34-13 overall and 15-9 in the ICCAC. SWCC has an overall record of 11-36 and is 7-15 in the ICCAC.
DMACC defeated ICCC 7-5 and 7-4 April 20 at Fort Dodge and handed SWCC a pair of 13-0 losses March 31 at Creston.