JUCO softball: IHCC sweeps North Central
Mar. 31—TRENTON, Mo. — Sophomore Madie Anderson recorded her second no-hitter in her last three outings, leading the Indian Hills softball squad to a doubleheader sweep of North Central Missouri College on Thursday. The Warriors won game one 1-0 before taking the nightcap 18-1.
Making her third start in the last six days, Anderson starred for the Warriors in the circle with a complete game shutout to lift the Warriors to the one-run victory in the opener. Anderson, who tossed her first collegiate no-hitter in a 7-0 league win over Iowa Western Community College on Mar. 24, struck out six Pirates Thursday while issuing just one walk.
In her last four outings with a total of 22 1/3 innings of work, Anderson has allowed just one earned run with five hits. The returning Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Pitcher of the Year lowered her season earned run average to a team-best 1.35 on the year while moving to 5-2 in the circle.
The Warriors' lone run came in the top half of the seventh as freshman Julia Kwakernaak delivered a pinch hit single to drive in Hannah Simpson, who doubled to spark the offense. The lone run proved to be the difference maker in the pitcher's duel.
The Indian Hills offense built off the game one victory to produce a season-high 18 runs in the game two victory. The Warriors tallied five runs in each of the first three innings before adding a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to close out the run-rule victory.
Five individuals recorded multi-hit affairs in the win, including three each from Destiny Lewis and Kwakernaak. Lewis, Simpson and Kwakernaak each added three runs scored while Simpson and Kwakernaak drove in three runs each.
Sophomore Sydney Anderson went 2-2 at the plate with three RBI and a home run, her fourth of this season and 35th of her IHCC career. Anderson was one of four Warriors to go deep in the win, joined by teammates Kwakernaak, Abby Martin and Jill Smith.
Three different Warrior pitchers combined to keep the Pirates in check. Sara Reid tossed two scoreless frames in the start while Ryann Cheek secured the win with two innings of scoreless relief.
Indian Hills is back in action for the team's home opener this weekend at R.L. Hellyer Field. The Warriors will host Rock Valley College (IL) for a four-game series set to open up on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
