Boone, IA—A nine-run first inning in game two led the Marshalltown Community College softball team to a split with Ellsworth Community College on Saturday morning as the Tigers won the nightcap 12-2 in five innings. The Panthers held off a late rally from MCC in the opener to take the game one 6-5. Freshman Lexie Biehl (Maquoketa, IA/Maquoketa) picked up four hits and drove in seven runs on the day.
Mackenzie Gott (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa) picked up her first win of the season in the circle after allowing just two hits in three innings of work. Brianna James (Lynville, IA/Lynville-Sully) finished off the Panthers with two innings of scoreless relief. Biehl went 3-4 in the win, including a pair of run-scoring doubles in the first inning as MCC jumped out to a 9-0 lead early on.
Weather and unplayable field conditions forced the two teams to meet on the Des Moines Area Community College campus for the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) doubleheader. The Panthers scored the initial run in the top of the first inning of game one to take the 1-0 lead. The Tigers answered back in the third with a pair of runs, including an RBI double from Sarah Wilson (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) to take control.
ECC responded with a three-spot in the top of the fourth to go back on top. The lead was short-lived, however, as Biehl delivered her fifth home run of the year, a two-run opposite field shot to tie the game at four. ECC was able to produce two more runs in the top of the six to take a 6-4 advantage. Holli Baker (Grimes, IA/Dallas Center-Grimes) drove a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the seventh but the Tigers were unable to tie the game as ECC picked up the conference win.
Baker struck out a season-high 10 batters in the losing effort while going 2-3 at the plate with a pair of runs scored. The top five batters in the lineup for MCC were a combined 8-17 at the dish.
The Tigers put game two away early as 13 batters came to the plate in the opening frame. Seven different players crossed home plate in the inning, including two apiece from Brooke Dunkin (Bussey, IA/Twin Cedars) and Biehl. Biehl finished the inning with two doubles and four RBI.
MCC brought nine players to the plate in the fourth inning to score three more runs. Gott, Tacie Blunk (Boone, IA/Boone), and Whitney Baker (Nevada, IA/Nevada) all came around to score to give the Tigers their eighth double-digit scoring game of the year.
Gott allowed just two earned runs while striking out three batters in the victory. Along with Biehl, Dunking and Gott each recorded three hits in the victory. Blunk, Baker, and Kyndal Milder (Columbus Junction, IA/Columbus) each had two hits as the offensive attack pounded out 17 hits.
MCC resumes play in Fort Dodge tomorrow afternoon with a pair of games against Iowa Central Community College.
