• Emma Dighton and Kendal Clark homer in 13-5 win
• Clark also homers and Dighton throws one-hitter in 9-1 tournament-clinching victory
• Abby Flanagan and Dighton come away with pitching victories

The DMACC softball team swept Central (Neb.) Community College (CCC) in a pair of games May 13 at the DMACC softball diamond to win the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) North Plains A district championship and advance to the NJCAA 2022 Division II Softball Championship for the eighth consecutive season.

Freshmen Emma Dighton of Boone and Kendal Clark of Humboldt belted home runs to lead the Bears to a 13-5 win in the first game. Clark homered again in the second game and Dighton pitched a one-hitter over four innings, helping DMACC to a 9-1 decision. Both games were called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

The Bears, ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Division II poll, improved to 50-3 for the season and extended their winning streak to 29 games. They should be the No. 1 seed in the national tournament which will be held May 24 to 28 at Oxford, Ala.

Dighton, Clark and sophomores Jada Collins of Des Moines and Delaney Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., had three hits apiece to pace the Bears' 17-hit attack in the opener. Dighton, Kelley and freshman Madison Kearns of Glenpool, Okla., drove in three runs apiece. Extra base hits also included doubles from Kearns, Dighton, Clark and freshman Kaylynne Salyars of Muscatine. Sophomore Layney Loyd of New London had two hits in the win and Collins and Clark drove in two runs apiece.

DMACC led 1-0 after the first inning and put the game away with six runs in the second and six in the third. CCC scored three runs in the third and two in the fifth.

Sophomore Abby Flanagan of Coggon pitched the first three innings for DMACC and stayed unbeaten at 13-0. She allowed three runs on three hits, struck out three and walked one. Sophomore Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt went two innings and gave up two runs on five hits. She struck out seven and walked one.

The Bears used a four-run rally in the first and scored three runs in the third and two in the fourth to come away with the win in the second game. Dighton had a pair of hits in the win and Clark, Kelley, sophomore Sami Miller of Mason City and freshman Sydney Kennedy of Peosta drove in two runs apiece. Extra base hits in addition to Clark's home run included doubles by Dighton, Miller and Kennedy.

Dighton pitched the first four innings and improved to 14-1 with the win. She allowed one run on one hit and struck out five. Kennedy went one inning and struck out two batters.

Pairings for the national championship will be announced when they are released by the NJCAA.