• Sophomores Elle Nelson and Campbell Kelley drive in runs in 2-1 win over Spoon River CC in season opener
• Bears pound out 12 hits in topping State Fair CC 5-4 in second game
• Sophomores Courtney Donahue and Kinsley Robertson get the wins

The DMACC softball team kicked off the 2023-24 spring season with victories over Spoon River Community College (SRCC) and State Fair Community College (SFCC) in the Southeastern Community College (SCC) Turf Tournament today at West Burlington.

Sophomore Courtney Donahue of Marshfield, Wis., tossed a four-hitter and struck out 10 in the Bears' 2-1 win over SRCC and sophomore Kinsley Robertson of Tiffin allowed two hits and struck out 12 in DMACC's 5-4 win over SFCC.

The Bears, ranked seventh in the Division II preseason poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), scored one run in each of the first two innings in defeating No. 13 SRCC, which scored its lone run in the top of the fourth.

Freshmen Breanna Caffery of Bettendorf and Mia Walker of Fonda paced DMACC's eight-hit attack with two hits apiece, including a double by Caffery, in the win over SRCC. Sophomores Elle Nelson of Grimes and Campbell Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., drove in one run apiece.

Donahue went the distance in picking up the win. She allowed one run on four hits, struck out 10 and walked three.

Kelley and freshmen Hilary Wilson of Solon and Josie McCuddin of Truro had two hits and one RBI apiece in DMACC's win in the second game. The Bears collected 12 hits, including two doubles by Wilson and one each from McCuddin, Walker and Kelley and sophomore Kyleia Salyars of Muscatine.

Both teams scored a run in the fourth inning before DMACC opened up a 5-1 lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. SFCC made it a one-run game with three runs in the top of the seventh.

Robertson threw the first six innings, allowing two runs on two hits with 12 strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore Grace Bailey of Hamilton gave up two runs on one hit and walked one batter in a third of an inning and sophomore Lauryn Foudree of West Des Moines recorded one strikeout and one walk in two-thirds of an inning.

The DMACC softball team will face Rock Valley Community College (RVCC) and Black Hawk-Moline Community College (BHMCC) Feb. 17, the second day of the SCC Turf Tournament.