Marshalltown, IA—Taking on the No. 4 Kirkwood Community College Eagles, the Marshalltown Community College softball nearly pulled off the upset in game one, but the Tigers fell 2-1 behind a stellar pitching performance from Mackenzie Gott (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa). MCC fell 9-1 in game two.
The Tigers (28-16, 14-10), playing in their first game ever as a ranked team, hosted the Eagles (48-5, 21-1) on Friday after unsuitable weather delayed the games by two days. MCC wasted little time stating its case for the upset as Tacie Blunk (Boone, IA/Boone) belted a two-out home run in the bottom of the first off of Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) leading pitcher Shyanne Saladino to tie the game at one.
The Eagles got back on top thanks to a leadoff walk in the top of the second to regain the lead. The Tigers managed just one base-runner the rest of the game, a leadoff single in the fourth inning from Lexie Biehl (Maquoketa, IA/Maquoketa). Saladino struck out 13 batters on the day.
Gott was equally as impressive in the circle, striking out 10 batters on the afternoon. After allowing back-to-back base hits to open the game, the sophomore settled down to allow just two knocks the rest of the way.
Game two starting pitcher Sarah Wilson (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) allowed a first inning unearned run and got out of a bases loaded jam in the second to keep the Tigers in contention, but the Eagles got to the righty with five runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth to pull away.
Wilson scored the Tigers' only run in the nightcap with a leadoff double and came around to score later on an error.
The losses snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Tigers who received votes in this week's NJCAA Division II rankings. Kirkwood remains in first place in the league standings.
MCC will look to get back on track with a conference doubleheader at fifth-place Ellsworth Community College tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 PM.
