- Sophomore Erin Ades hits a solo home run in a 12-2 loss in the opener
- Sophomore Morgan Neuroth has three hits in a 9-1 loss in the nightcap
- Sophomores Jacki Baas and Kierra Jungers suffer the losses
Kirkwood Community College (KCC), the No. 1 ranked team in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, showed why it deserves that ranking after sweeping a doubleheader from the eighth-ranked DMACC softball team April 8 at the DMACC softball diamond.
The Eagles took the opener 12-2 in five innings and won the nightcap by a 9-1 score to improve to 39-5 overall and 19-1 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) with their 15th and 16th consecutive wins.
DMACC, which saw a 17-game winning streak end with a loss in the first game, fell to 34-9 overall and 17-3 in league play.
KCC continues to lead the ICCAC and DMACC fell to second place. The Bears have a three-game lead over third-place Iowa Central Community College (ICCC).
KCC never trailed in winning the opener. The Eagles had a 2-0 lead after the first inning and 2-1 after two innings and 3-2 after three innings. They closed out the win with four runs in the top of the fourth and five in the top of the fifth.
Sophomore Erin Ades of Boone paced the Bears at the plate with a pair of base hits, including a solo home run. Sophomore Bri Tigges of Urbandale had a double for DMACC and freshman Mackenzie Mohler of West Des Moines drove in one run.
Sophomore Jacki Baas of Bondurant pitched the first four and a third innings and fell to 17-3 with the loss. She allowed eight runs on seven hits, struck out six and walked one. Sophomore Brooklyn Baumgardner of Slater threw two-thirds of an inning and allowed four runs on three hits with one strikeout and two walks.
The second game was not quite a carbon copy of the first but was close. KCC had a 2-0 lead after the first inning, led 5-0 after two innings and 7-0 after four innings. The Eagles closed out the win with two runs in the seventh and DMACC added its lone run in the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore Mo Purdy of Des Moines led the Bears are the plate with two hits, including a double, and sophomore Morgan Neuroth of LeGrand added a double. Freshman Cali Richards of Des Moines drove in the DMACC run.
Sophomore Kierra Jungers of Fonda pitched all seven innings for the Bears and fell to 12-6 with the loss. She allowed nine runs on seven hits, struck out eight and walked one.
The DMACC softball team will face North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) and Northeast (Iowa) Community College (NEICC) in a doubleheaders April 11 and 12 at Mason City and Farley respectively. NIACC, ranked 22nd in the NJCAA Division II poll, is 27-16 overall and 12-8 in the ICCAC. NEICC is 11-30 and 3-15.
DMACC swept both teams in doubleheaders earlier this season. The Bears beat NIACC10-2 and 4-2 April 6 at the DMACC softball diamond and beat NEICC by scores of 17-8 and 10-2 April 8 at Ankeny.