Iowa Falls, IA—The Marshalltown Community College Softball team scored a total of 34 runs on 35 hits in a nonconference doubleheader sweep at Ellsworth Community College on Thursday afternoon. Freshman Courtney Fudge (Pleasant Hill, IA/Des Moines East) went 7-7 at the plate throughout the day.
The Tigers did all of their damage in the first three innings of game one as the Tigers ran away with a 17-2 victory over the Panthers. A seven-run seventh inning in game two matched the Tigers' run total from game one as MCC took the finale 17-3, capping the offensive onslaught throughout the day.
Along with Fudge's seven hits, including a career-high four in game one, the freshman scored six total runs and drove in four more. Sophomore Taylor Anderson (San Antonio, TX/Churchill) recorded six hits on the day, driving in eight total runs with five coming in the final game. Paige Taylor (Coquitlam, British Columbia/Terry Fox) and Jordan Carter (Sigourney, IA/Sigourney) each earned wins in the circle for the Tigers.
MCC completed the season sweep of the Panthers, winning all four games by a total score of 55-10.
With the two wins on Thursday, MCC extended its winning streak to six games. Thursday marked the Tigers final game of its 10-day, 12-game road slate. MCC concluded the stretch with an 8-4 record.
MCC used just one extra base hit in the opening game but reverted to small ball, collecting 16 singles in the win. The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning. The first six batters reached base to start the game. The offense continued its attack in the second inning, scoring four runs, including a two-run single from Anderson. MCC added five hits in the third frame for their largest output of the game, scoring eight runs for a 17-0 lead.
Joining Fudge with a multi-hit game were Kari Smith (Marshalltown, IA/Marshalltown), Anderson, Lexie Valentine (Des Moines, IA/Saydel) and Carter, all with two hits each. Anderson and Carter each tallied three RBI while Sarah Ghee (Carlisle, IA/Carlisle) scored three runs. Tess Cheetham (Oceanside, CA/Oceanside) recorded the lone extra base hit, an RBI-double in the first inning.
Taylor struck out nine Ellsworth batters in five innings for the Tigers to improve to 13-8 on the year, her fourth-straight win. Taylor has now struck out at least nine batters in a game five times this season, upping her total to 150 on the year which ranks first in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) and 16th in the nation.
Game two opened up with a scoreless first inning for the Tigers, but came through with three runs in the third after Carter doubled to score Cheetham and Raini Hilmer (Dysart, IA/Union). Fudge sent a ball down the right field line in the fourth that resulted in an inside-the-park home run, scoring two runs for a 6-0 lead. MCC built its lead to 10-0 in the sixth.
Ellsworth put three runs on the board in the bottom half of the sixth, but the Tigers exploded for seven more runs in the seventh inning. Anderson cleared the bases with a three-run triple and Cheetham added a triple of her own as MCC completed the rout.
Carter finished the game 4-4 with two extra base hits while Anderson went 4-5 with the five RBI. Cheetham and Fudge also collected three hits each in the win. In the circle, Carter struck out four batters and allowed just one earned run in the complete game.
Samuari Jones (Louisville, KY/Seneca) went 2-2 with two RBI and two runs scored on the day.
MCC returns home for the first time since April 3 on Saturday when the Tigers host conference opponent Southeastern Community College at 12:00 PM. MCC swept the Blackhawks 5-1 and 7-5 in West Burlington, IA on April 10.
