- DMACC opened the tournament with an 8-4 win over Hawkeye CC
- Bears capture championship with two wins over NIACC
- DMACC will face Dawson CC in Northwest Plains District Tournament
The DMACC softball team claimed its 10th consecutive Region 11 softball championship with a win over Hawkeye Community College (HCC) and two wins over North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) May 2 to 4 at the DMACC softball diamond.
The Bears, who improved to 53-5 and are ranked fourth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, will now host the Northwest Plains District Softball Tournament May 9 and 10, facing Dawson Community College (DCC) in a best 2-of-3 series. The winner advances to 2025 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series May 19 to 24 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.
In addition to winning their 10th consecutive district championship and their 11th in the past 12 seasons, the Bears have also made 10 consecutive appearances in the Division II Softball World Series and 11 appearances in the past 12 seasons.
DMACC had to come from behind in two of its three games in the Region 11 tournament. The Bears trailed HCC 3-1 in the tournament semifinals on May 2 before getting an 8-4 win behind a seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. DMACC took a 2-0 lead in the third inning of its championship bracket game against NIACC on May 3 and came away with a 2-1 victory. In the championship game on May 4, the Bears trailed 3-2 after five innings and got the win with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.
Freshmen Bri Tigges of Urbandale and Erin Ades of Boone and sophomore Josie McCuddin of Truro belted home runs in DMACC's win over HCC. Freshman Ella Husak of Polk City paced the Bears at the plate with three hits and Tigges, McCuddin and sophomore Hilary Wilson of Solon had two hits apiece. Tigges drove in four runs and McCuddin had two RBIs.
Freshman Kierra Jungers of Fonda pitched the first six innings and got the win. She allowed three runs on five hits, struck out 11 and walked three. Sophomore Macy Blomgren of Waukee pitched the seventh inning and one unearned run on two hits. She struck out one batter.
Freshman Macee Reilling of Dallas Center hit a two-run home run in the Bears' win over NIACC on May 3. DMACC collected five hits in the game with their only other extra-base hits coming on a triple by Ades.
Freshman Jacki Baas of Bondurant went the first five and two-thirds innings and came away with the win. She allowed one run on three hits, struck out three and walked two. Blomgren pitched an inning and a third, striking out three batters and walking three.
Husak and sophomore Mia Walker of Fonda had three hits apiece and Wilson and freshman Jasey Anderson of Estherville collected two hits apiece in the win over NIACC on May 4. Extra-base hits included doubles by Anderson and Walker and Tigges, Reilling, Wilson and Anderson drove in one run apiece.
Baas pitched the first four innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Blomgren went three innings and earned the win. She pitched hitless softball, struck out six batters and earned the win.
DCC captured the Region XIII championship to advance to the Northwest Plains District Tournament against DMACC. The Bucs are 30-21 but are not ranked in the NJCAA Division II poll.
DMACC and DCC will play a doubleheader on May 9 and a single game, if necessary, on May 10.
