Creston, IA—Brianna James (Lynville, IA/Lynnville-Sully) picked up her fourth win of the year to lead the Marshalltown Community College softball team to an 8-3 game one victory over North Iowa Area Community College on Friday afternoon at Southwestern Community College. The Tigers split with the Trojans after dropping game two 6-3.
James scattered eight hits in the complete game to help the Tigers improve to 3-0 in Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play. Holli Baker (Grimes, IA/Dallas Center-Grimes) powered the MCC offense with a pair of home runs and a double with three runs scored. The Tigers scored at least one run in five different innings to take the conference victory.
The Tigers held a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth but the Trojan offense came around to score four runs in the frame for the come-from-behind victory. Two MCC errors proved costly in the sixth as Sarah Wilson (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) was tagged with the loss.
Baker sparked the offense with extra base hits in each of her first three at bats in the opener, including a solo home run in the first inning. Tacie Blunk (Boone, IA/Boone) scored on a Shaiann Treu (Waianae/Nanakuli) single in the second to put MCC up 2-0. The top of the order came up again in the third inning and the first three batters, Brooke Dunkin (Bussey, IA/Twin Cedars), Lexie Biehl (Maquoketa, IA/Maquoketa), and Baker all came around to score to extend the lead.
Baker finished off her power display with a solo shot in the fifth while Mackenzie Gott (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa) and Treu completed the scoring with a run each in the sixth.
James allowed just one earned run in the win to lower her season earned run average to 1.17. The sophomore has allowed just one earned run in her last four appearances.
Friday's games kicked off a grueling eight game stretch over the next four days for the Tigers as MCC travels to Boone, IA to take on Ellsworth Community College on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 AM.
