• DMACC is ranked first in the NJCAA Division II poll; Central CC is not ranked
• Bears are led by home run hitters Kendal Clark and Emma Dighton
• DMACC also has two undefeated pitchers in Abby Flanagan and Sydney Kennedy

The  DMACC softball team will host Central (Neb.) Community College (CCC) in the North Plains A District Softball Tournament May 13 and 14 at the DMACC softball diamond with a berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II national tournament on the line.

The two teams will play a doubleheader on May 13 with the first game beginning at noon. If either team takes both games of the doubleheader the tournament will be over and the winner will head to the NJCAA 2022 Division II Softball National Championship May 24 to 28 at Oxford, Ala. A split of the doubleheader will require a third game at noon on May 14.

The Bears bring a 48-3 record and a 27-game winning streak into the double-elimination tournament. The Bears are also the No. 1 ranked team in the NJCAA Division II poll. CCC comes in with a 17-27 record.

DMACC, which has won eight district championships, will be seeking its eighth consecutive trip to the national tournament. The Bears have four top four finishes in the event.

DMACC is led by a pair of power hitting freshmen in Emma Dighton of Boone and Kendal Clark of Humboldt. The share the national lead in home runs with 25 apiece and are 1-2 in RBIs, Clark has driven in 96 runs and Dighton has driven in 86 runs.

DMACC has seven regulars with batting averages above .400 led by Clark who is hitting .565. Sophomore Abby Husak of Polk City is at .536 and sophomore Jada Collins of Des Moines is hitting .506.

The Bears have a team batting average of .441 and have hit 97 home runs. The Bears have outscored their opponents, 598-141.

The DMACC pitching staff is a combined 48-3 with a 2.40 earned run average. Sophomore Abby Flanagan of Coggon and freshman Sydney Kennedy of Peosta are undefeated at 13-0 and 7-0 respectively. Flanagan leads the Bears in ERA at 1.26. Dighton is 13-1, sophomore Lexi Lander of Onawa is 8-1 and sophomore Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt is 7-1.

A pair of freshmen, Caroline Riffer and Emma Lees lead CCC in hitting at .477 and .427 respectively. Sophomore Andrea Fernandez is the Raiders' top home run hitter with nine and Lees tops the team in RBIs with 32.

Each CCC pitcher has a losing record. Freshman Kailee Pollard leads the Raiders with 41 appearances and a 15-16 record with a 4.84 ERA. She has given up 208 runs, including 133 earned runs, and has allowed 24 home runs. Freshman Payten Gibson is 2-9 with an 8.03 ERA and has allowed 114 runs, including 86 earned runs. She has surrendered 16 home runs