The Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team splits with Division I Southeast Community College. The Lakers took a lead into the seventh inning, but Southeast rallied to hit a walk off home run to win 17-15. The Lakers bounced back with a 3-0 win with a strong performance in the circle by freshman, Katie Kvigne. Iowa Lakes is 3-1 on the season.
GAME 1: 17 (SCC), 15 (ILCC)
Iowa Lakes and Southeast delivered an offensive showcase in a wild back-and-forth battle that featured towering home runs, momentum swings, and late-inning drama.
The fireworks started early for the Lakers in the top of the second. Macy Pickett wasted no time putting runs on the board, launching a line-drive home run to left to give the Lakers a 2-0 advantage. The Bobcats answered immediately, scoring one run on one hit and a walk.
The Lakers reclaimed the lead in the top half of the third when Addison Wheeler crushed a fly ball to center for a two-run homer, swinging the score back in favor of the Lakers, 2-1. The Bobcats again pushed back, scoring two in their half of the inning on a single and home run.
Kaitlyn DuChateau sparked the rally with a double to lead off the fourth. Korilyn Christians followed with a run-scoring double of her own to tie the game. The Lakers loaded the bases with disciplined at-bats, with Wheeler, Gracie Knobloch, and Macy Pickett all drawing walks to score another run. The Bobcats responded with an explosive inning, scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth. They did this on two singles, two doubles, and one home run.
The Lakers refused to back down, as Marrissa Miller drew a one-out walk in the top of the fifth. Charli Abernathy followed with a single. A ball in the dirt allowed both runners to move sixty feet closer, before DuChateau hit into a fielder's choice that scored Miller. Christians then delivered a two out home run to make the score 8-7 in favor of Southeast. The Bobcats extended their lead, scoring three on a Laker error, one walk, and two singles.
In the top of the sixth, Karlee Akers ignited the comeback with a two-run blast to center that scored Pickett who had reached on a single. With two outs, Abernathy singled and DuChateau was hit by a pitch to give the Lakers life again. A Southeast error off the bat of Christians allowed both runners to score and tie up the game at 11-11.
The seventh inning saw the Lakers take the lead when Wheeler led off with a walk, Knobloch doubled, and Pickett grounded out to score Wheeler and advance Knobloch to third. Akers then walked and stole second, before Kvigne delivered a clutch two-run double down the line, scoring both runners.
Southeast mounted one final push in the bottom half, highlighted by two two-run home runs. The Lakers also gave up two walks and a double, while committing one error.
The Lakers were led at the plate by Korilynn Christians going 4-6 with two doubles, one home run, one run scored, and three RBIs. Charli Abernathy added four hits of her own, while Macy Pickett added three runs batted in. Kassidy Elkins took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on two hits and two walks. Macy Pickett started the game, throwing 3.1 innings and allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out two. Morgan Fine also threw 3.1 innings, allowing four runs, one earned on five hits and one walk, while striking out one. Gracie Knobloch also threw in the game, allowing one earned run on one hit.
GAME 2: 3 (ILCC), 0 (SCC)
After the game one hitting parade, game two came down to a good old-fashioned pitcher dual, seeing Kvigne come out on top.
The Lakers offense finally broke through in the third. DuChateau sparked the rally with a line-drive single to left, and Wheeler followed with a base hit of her own. Southeast applied pressure of their own in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases on a single, double, and walk. Kvigne got the next two batters to strikeout, before getting the final batter to fly out to Leah Bode in center.
The fourth inning proved pivotal for the Lakers. After Abernathy reached on a single and aggressively stole second, DuChateau laced a line-drive double to left to plate another run. DuChateau then stole third and advanced home after Wheeler walked and drew a throw to second while she was stealing. The aggressive approach extended the lead and gave Kvigne breathing room in the circle.
Meanwhile, Kvigne was in control against Southeast Community College. In the fourth, she struck out two more hitters, including a foul-tip third strike to end the inning. Kvigne consistently mixed speeds and kept hitters off balance, finishing multiple innings with strikeouts in key situations.
Defensively, the Lakers were sharp behind their pitcher. Wheeler made several clean plays at shortstop, while Pickett was steady at first, helping turn routine ground balls into outs. The infield closed the door late, retiring Southeast in order in both the sixth and seventh innings on a series of groundouts.
Though Southeast managed scattered hits and a handful of baserunners, they were unable to break through against Kvigne and the Lakers' defense. Kvigne picked up her second win of the season, allowing no runs on six hits, three walks, and ten strikeouts.
Addison Wheeler was 2-3 at the plate with one walk. Kaitlyn DuChateau went 2-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
The Lakers will look to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss to take on Cloud County Community College tomorrow, February 27th, at 1 and 3 PM.
Photo ID: Picture of Korilynn Christians hitting attached.
MEDIA: For more information, please contact Head Softball Coach, Katie King at (712) 362-8367 or the Iowa Lakes sports information office at (712) 362-7928.