Iowa Western was in town for a conference double header against Tiger Softball. It was the first time the two teams have met up this year.
Game 1
The Tigers kept game one close to start. Through four innings, the score was just 2-0, Iowa Western. Both of the Reiver runs were result of walks as the leadoff hitter for the Reivers, Carli Benes reached base in both the first and third innings on walks and wound up scoring.
Meanwhile, the Tigers weren't having any success at the plate in the first four innings. Through four, only three runners had reached base, two via walk and one hit by pitch. Of the twelve outs by the home team, nine came through strikeouts.
In the fifth inning, The Reivers blew the game open. Saydee Terrell started the game at pitcher for the Tigers and threw into the fifth. Each of the first four batters that Terrell faced in the fifth frame reached base. Sydney Reamer singled to start the inning. Madison Kim then reached base by wearing a pitch. With runners on first and second, Terrell threw a wild pitch that allowed both runners to move into scoring position. Alyssa Maldonado put a ball on the ground to sophomore second baseman, Kaylee Hanks, but she couldn't handle it, allowing Reamer to score and Kim to move to third. With runners on the corners, Allison O'Driscoll drew a walk from Terrell to load the bases.
At that point, Terrell was replaced by Ashley Tennant in the circle. Tennant walked the first batter she saw to bring in Kim and build the Reiver lead to 4-0. Maldonado scored on a fielder's choice and O'Driscoll reached home on a single by Benes. Tennant retired the next two batters, but heading into the bottom of the fifth, the score was suddenly 6-0, Iowa Western.
The Tigers went three up – three down in the bottom of the frame, all on strikeouts.
After the Reivers tacked on one run in the top of the sixth, the Tigers finally got on the board in the bottom. Aliyah Scott led the inning off with a popup to the second baseman. Terrell then stepped to the plate and was hit by a pitch. The sophomore then successfully stole second base to put herself in scoring position with one out. Taylor Hipsley, hitting in the two hole, singled to center field. The single not only brought in Terrell, but it also broke up a no-hit bid. Tennant and Kylie Swan couldn't extend the inning as the two recorded outs to end the inning. After six, the Tigers trailed 7-1.
The visiting team added an insurance run in the top of the seventh before the Tigers went down in order, for the fourth time in the game, to bring game one to a close.
Iowa Western took game one, 8-1.
Game 2
After a twenty minute break, the two teams were back on the field for game two. This time, the Tigers sent freshman, McKaylee Dawson to the circle.
Dawson recorded a scoreless first inning. The Tigers then went scoreless in their half as well.
The second inning didn't go as smoothly for Dawson. The pitcher gave up a solo shot to Maldonado and proceeded to walk the next two batters. An error by Hipsley at second base loaded the bases up for leadoff batter, Carli Benes. Benes grounded out 4-3, but plated another runner. With two outs and runners on second and third, Lily Gregory lined out to Kylie Swan and the Tigers escaped the inning with giving up just two runs.
However, the top of the second was a sign of things to come as the Reivers managed to score in each of the next four innings, while the Tigers were able to largely minimize the damage.
The Reivers scored three in the third, one in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two in the sixth for nine total runs.
While the Reivers were adding runs in small pieces, the Tigers were unable to match them or put up a big inning to keep the contest close. The Tigers managed just one run on four hits in the second game and that came in the third inning when Terrell doubled to left-center with two out. Dawson brought her in with an RBI single before Hipsley grounded out to end the inning.
In the game, the Tigers only had two runners reach scoring position while the Reivers put 16 runners in scoring position.
