The Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team lost two to the Tritons of Iowa Central. Game one saw a final score of 0-6 and game two finished with a score of 2-5. This brings the Lakers to 30-25 overall for the season and 10-16 in conference.
GAME 1: 0 (ILCC), 6 (ICCC)
Macy Pickett was able to retire the first batter in Iowa Central's line up with a strike out, but the Tritons were able to take advantage of a Laker error to reach base. A single would put one runner in scoring position, but Pickett would retire the second out of the inning with another strikeout. The Tritons were able to score one run on a two-out single.
Korilynn Christians took a walk for the Lakers in their half of the first, but that would be the only action of the inning for the Lakers offensively.
Despite an Iowa Central batter reaching on an error in the top of the second, Pickett would retire the side, striking out the next three batters.
The top of the fourth inning would see the next score of the game from a Triton solo home run to give them a 2-0 lead. Pickett continued stoic in the circle, striking out two of the next three batters and forcing the third into a ground out.
The Lakers threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Karlee Akers reaching on a one-out error by the Iowa Central defense. Brooklyn Bode singled on a bunt-for-a-hit to put one runner in scoring position for the Lakers. The Triton pitching would retire the side before the Lakers could push one across.
Iowa Central's offense continued their fight in the top of the sixth, scoring one on two walks, an error, and a wild pitch.
Christians would drive a two-out double to left field, but the defense for the Tritons didn't allow her to advance any farther.
The Lakers were unable to hold off the Tritons in the top of the seventh as they scored their final three runs on a walk, single, and two doubles. Iowa Central kept their defense on lock in the bottom of the seventh, not allowing anyone to reach base for the Lakers.
Christians and Bode tallied the only two hits for the Lakers in game one, with Christians also reaching on the only walk allowed by the Trojans. Macy Pickett took the loss for game one, throwing 6.2 innings, allowing eight hits, six runs, four earned, and four walks while striking out 12. Kassidy Elkins threw the remaining 0.1 inning, allowing no hits and no runs.
GAME 2: 2 (ILCC), 5 (ICCC)
Game two started as a pitcher's duel, seeing no score until the third inning. Taylor Larson started game two in the circle for the Lakers, forcing three of the first four batters in the Tritons' lineup into outs. On offense, Larson took a two-out walk in the bottom of the first. She was the only Laker to reach base in the inning.
Larson continued the fight in the circle for the Lakers, retiring the side by forcing them into two ground outs and a fly out. The Tritons kept a lock on their own defense, allowing no Laker to reach base.
The Lakers were able to break open in the third inning, starting with a one-out walk from Abby Burgess. Burgess was able to steal second before Myla Murphy followed with a bunt-for-a-hit single to advance Burgess to third and put runners on the corners. An attempted pick off led to a Triton error that allowed Burgess to scurry home and advance Murphy to third. Kaitlyn DuChateau earned herself an RBI by hitting a ground ball to the second baseman that allowed Murphy to reach home.
Iowa Central didn't allow the Lakers to hold the lead, as they scored their first run on three singles and a Laker error. Despite a two-out strikeout thrown by Larson, the Tritons were able to drive in three runs on a hard line drive to left field. Their fifth and final run of the inning came from a Laker error.
Larson took a walk to lead off the bottom of the fourth and steal second five pitches later. Despite the runner in scoring position for the Lakers, they were unable to break through. Elkins entered the circle for the Lakers, forcing three of three Tritons into fly outs.
Bode led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk for the Lakers and stole second, but Iowa Central's defense locked down the inning before the Lakers were able to score.
Alexis Cullinane had a two-out single in the top of the seventh, but the Triton pitching would retire the third out for the Lakers, ending the game with a Lakers three-run deficit.
Cullinane and Murphy tallied the two hits for the Lakers in game two while DuChateau tallied an RBI. The Lakers were able to take four walks and steal three bases despite the loss. Larson took the loss in the circle, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, five runs, zero earned, and one walk while striking out three. Elkins finished the game, throwing the remaining 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, no runs and no walks while striking out one.