The Iowa Lakes Community College Softball team took two losses to the Thunderbirds of Cloud County Community College. Cloud County dominated the offensive side in game one, propelling them to an 11-3 win. Game two saw a hard-fought battle from the Lakers, taking the loss on a walk-off single from Cloud County.
Game 1: 3 (ILCC), 11 (CC)
The Thunderbirds would strike hard in the bottom of the first inning, hitting a grand slam. The Lakers would fight back quickly in the top of the second with a single from Taylor Larson and Alexis Cullinane. Bailey Smith would follow with her seventh hit-by-pitch of the season to load the bases. Kaitlyn DuChateau would come up big with a three-run triple, scoring the only three runs for the Lakers.
The bottom of the second inning would see Cloud County extend their lead to 8 runs on three singles, a double, a walk, and four errors. They would remain scoreless for the next two innings.
The Lakers would look to fight back with a single from Macy Pickett in the third, a single from Myla Murphy in the top of the fifth, and a walk from Pickett in the top of the fifth. The Lakers would come up unrewarded despite the hits.
Taylor Larson would take the loss for the Lakers in the circle, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing seven earned runs on five hits and three walks. Kassidy Elkins would come in as the relief, allowing zero runs on 1 hit and three strikeouts. Kaitlyn DuChateau would lead the Lakers at the plate, going one for two with three RBIs. Alexis Cullinane would also go 1-2, adding a hit for the Lakers.
Game 2: 3 (ILCC), 4 (CC)
Game two was a hard-fought battle from start to finish. The Lakers would be held to zero in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning, Kassidy Elkins would allow one walk, letting up zero runs to the Thunderbirds.
In the top of the second, Alexis Cullinane would hit her first home run of the season, sending a line drive over the left-center fence. Elkins would retake the circle, holding down the defensive side for the Lakers. She would throw one strikeout in the bottom of the second.
Brooklyn Bode would start the Lakers in the third with her first hit of the season. Abby Burgess would come up big with a double to left field, scoring Bode and extending the Laker's lead to two. Elkins would allow one single and a walk in the bottom of the third. She would come back to retire the next two batters, striking out both.
Bailey Smith would tally her eighth hit by pitch of the season in the top of the fourth while Morgan Kolodzienski would come up to hit her first single of her collegiate career. Neither would score. In the bottom of the fourth, Cloud County would fight back with three singles, loading the bases with two outs. Macy Pickett would come into the circle, striking out her first two batters. Her next two batters would single, scoring three total. Pickett would allow no more in the fourth, throwing her third strikeout of the inning.
Pickett would come up in the top of the sixth to hit a single and Karlee Akers would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move her over. Pickett would be stranded on second as the next two Lakers were retired. Pickett struck out two more in the bottom of the sixth, holding the Thunderbird's lead to one.
Abby Burgess would rally the Lakers with two outs, hitting a solo home run to left center. DuChateau would hit her second extra-base hit of the day, reaching second on a line drive to center. The Lakers would end the inning with a tied score. Pickett would strike out the leadoff batter, then allow two singles and a walk to load the bases. Cloud County would walk off the game with a single to short right field.
Despite the battle, Pickett would take the hard-fought loss. She pitched 3.1 innings, faced 17 batters, struck out seven, and allowed five hits. Burgess led the Laker offense in game two, tallying two hits in the game and ending 2-3 with 2 RBIs.
The Lakers travel to Clermont, FL this Wednesday to take part in The Spring Games. They will play 14 games between March 7th and the 14th.