
- DMACC wins doubleheader on April 15, 6-4 and 8-4
- Bears take both games on April 16, 16-5 and 17-7
- Freshmen Emma Dighton and Kendal Clark lead the way with five and three home runs respectively
The DMACC softball team continued its winning ways by sweeping all four games against Iowa Central Community College (ICCC) April 15 and 16 at Fort Dodge.
The wins extended DMACC's winning streak to 19 games. The Bears, ranked third in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, are 40-3 overall and 18-2 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).
The Bears took both ends of a doubleheader on April 15, 6-4 and 8-4 and repeated that feat on April 16, winning by scores of 16-5 and 17-7. Both of those games were called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Freshmen Emma Dighton of Boone and Kendal Clark of Humboldt keyed the victories by combining for eight home runs. Dighton homered in each game, including two home runs in the opener on April 15, and Clark belted three home runs in the opener on April 16.
Dighton leads the ICCAC and NJCAA Division II in home runs and runs batted in with 24 and 76 respectively. Clark is second in both the ICCAC and NJCAA Division II with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs.
Dighton's two home runs and three RBIs lifted DMACC past ICCC in the opener on April 15. The Bears trailed 1-0 after the second inning, 3-2 after three innings and 4-3 after five innings before getting the win on a three-run rally in the top of the seventh.
Sophomore Abby Husak of Polk City joined Dighton with two hits in the win and sophomore Layney Loyd of New London drove in a pair of runs.
Freshman Sydney Kennedy of Peosta pitched the first three innings for DMACC, allowing three runs on six hits. She struck out three batters. Dighton threw four innings and improved to 10-1 with the win. She allowed one run on two hits and struck out one batter.
Dighton and Clark drove in two runs apiece in DMACC's win in the second game. The Bears led 3-2 after the first inning, 4-2 after two innings, 5-4 after five innings and closed out the win with three runs in the top of the sixth.
Husak paced DMACC's 16-hit attack with four singles and sophomore Delaney Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., had three hits including a double. Clark, sophomore Jada Colins of Des Moines and freshman Kaylynne Salyars of Muscatine had two hits apiece including a double by Clark.
Sophomore Abby Flanagan of Coggon pitched the first four innings for DMACC and stayed unbeaten at 11-0. She allowed four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked two. Sophomore Lexi Lander of Onawa pitched three innings, allowing two hits, striking out seven and walking one.
Clark accounted for nine RBIs with her three home runs as the Bears took the opener on April 16. DMACC led 7-1 after two innings, 13-5 after four innings and put the game away with three runs in the top of the fifth.
Collins joined Clark with three hits in the win, including a double, and Husak, Salyars and freshman Zoey Hightshoe of Boone had two hits apiece, including one double each. Kennedy and Collins came away with two RBIs apiece.
Kennedy pitched the first three innings and improved to 6-0 with the win. She allowed four runs on six hits and struck out one. Dighton went one inning, allowing one run on three hits and striking out two and Flanagan pitched one inning and struck out one batter.
Kelley had four singles and three RBIs and Dighton had a single and a double to go with her home run and drove in four runs for the Bears in the second game. DMACC led 4-2 after the first inning, 5-3 after the second inning and 10-3 after scoring five runs in the top of the third. The Bears put the game out of reach with seven runs in the top of the fourth and ICCC made it a 10-run game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Collins joined Dighton with three hits in the win and Collins, Clark and freshman Madison Kearns of Glenpool, Okla., drove in two runs apiece. Sophomore Sami Miller of Mason City also doubled in the game.
Sophomore Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt improved to 5-1 with the win. She allowed three runs on three hits, struck out one and walked four. Lander went two innings and allowed four runs on four hits with one strikeout.