Marshalltown, IA—24 runs and 27 hits later, the Marshalltown Community College softball team completed its afternoon sweep of North Iowa Area Community College. Sophomore Paige Taylor (Coquitlam, British Columbia/Terry Fox) tossed a no-hitter in an 8-0 game one victory before the Tigers overwhelmed the Trojans 16-8 in game two.
Taylor kept the Trojans hitless in the five-inning game one affair. The sophomore walked three batters, but did not allow a hit to earn her first-career no-hitter. Sophomore Courtney Fudge (Pleasant Hill, IA/Des Moines East) went 2-2 with a home run to pace the offense. The Tigers erupted for 16 runs in game two behind Tess Cheetham's (Oceanside, CA/Oceanside) eight RBI.
The Tigers improved to 11-5 overall on the year and have now won four straight games, all at home. This is the second winning streak of at least four games this year for MCC.
Game one belonged to the Tigers from the first inning as Shaena Robinson (Gardnerville, NV/Douglas) sent a three-run home run out to center for the early lead. Sophomore Samuari Jones (Louisville, KY/Seneca) delivered a run-scoring double in the third to extend the advantage. Fudge led off the fourth with her first home run of the season for a 6-0 lead. Robinson added an RBI-double to score Dion Shirley (Van Meter, IA/Van Meter) and later crossed home plate for the team's final score in the run-rule shortened contest.
Taylor received plenty of run support, but did her part in the circle to limit the Trojans. The sophomore induced nine groundball outs en route to the no-hitter to improve to 6-3 on the year. Fudge, Shirley, and Robinson each recorded two hits while Robinson drove in four runs total.
On a windy day in Marshalltown, the offense took over for both teams in game two. NIACC opened the game with four runs in the first inning, but the Tigers responded with a seven-spot for an exciting first frame. Cheetham provided the big blow with a three-run double and Jordan Carter (Sigourney, IA/Sigourney) and Annalee Myers (Ames, IA/Ames) added RBI base hits.
NIACC got two runs back in the second to pull within one, but an RBI-single from Lexie Valentine (Des Moines, IA/Saydel) scored Robinson. Cheetham's big game continued in the third with a three-run home run to center, the sophomore's fourth home run of the year. Myers tacked on a two-run home run, her first-career long-ball in the fifth and capped the scoring in the sixth with an RBI-single to end the game by way of run rule.
Cheetham finished the game 3-3 with the career-high eight RBI and Myers went 3-4 with four RBI. Shirley scored three times while going 3-5 at the plate. Carter and Valentine both recorded two hits as well. Carter went four innings in the circle to earn the win. Taylor added a pair of hitless innings to close out the game in relief.
Robinson added two hits of her own in the nightcap to go 4-7 on the day with three extra base hits. The freshman continues to rank in the top three in the nation in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. Robinson leads the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) in all three categories as well as home runs and RBI.
MCC is back in action on March 27 at Graceland JV.
For the second time this week, an MCC hurler tossed a no-hitter! Paige Taylor kept NIACC hitless in game one of today's doubleheader! pic.twitter.com/bebf68SG1Y
— Marshalltown Tigers (@MCC_ATH) March 24, 2017
