Fort Dodge, IA—The Marshalltown Community College softball team's season came to an end at the hands of top-seeded Kirkwood Community College in the Region XI Division II Softball Tournament on Sunday, falling 8-0 in five innings to the Eagles. The Tigers set a program-record with 33 wins in 2014.
The No. 4 seed Tigers battled through the loser's bracket on Saturday in the tournament to pick up two wins and advance to face the Eagles for the second time in three days. Kirkwood defeated MCC 3-0 on Friday night. Sarah Wilson (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) got the start in the circle in Sunday's elimination game for the Tigers.
MCC put a runner on base in the top of the first inning as Lexie Biehl (Maquoketa, IA/Maquoketa) ripped a single with one out but was stranded at the end of the inning. McKenna Hotopp (State Center, IA/West Marshall) recorded the team's second hit of the game in the second but was unable to advance any further.
The game remained scoreless through two innings of play as Wilson allowed back-to-back singles to start the game, but sat the next six batters down in order. With one out in the third, the Eagles put four of its next five batters on base, including a three-run double. A two-run home run put the Eagles up 5-0. Kirkwood tacked on three more in the fourth off of relief pitcher Mackenzie Gott (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa) to end the game via the mercy rule.
The Tigers provided a program-best 33-18 record on the year and set a new school mark with 16 conference wins. The semifinal appearance in the Region XI Tournament is also the best finish in school history.
