• DMACC stretches winning streak to 13 games
• Bears have never played more than five innings in seven of their last eight games
• DMACC collects 44 hits in the four wins

The DMACC softball team improved to 34-3 overall and 14-2 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) with a four-game sweep of Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NECC) April 9 and 10 at the DMACC softball diamond.

The Bears took both ends of a doubleheader on April 9, 15-3 and 14-5, and repeated that feat on April 10, winning by scores of 11-2 and 13-2. DMACC, ranked third in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, ran its winning streak to 13 games and has never gone more than five innings in seven of its last eight games. The Bears have a two-game lead over Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in the ICCAC.

The Bears collected 44 hits in the four wins against NECC, including 20 extra base hits. They had eight doubles, a triple and 11 home runs.

Sophomore Sami Miller of Mason City doubled and freshman Emma Dighton of Boone blasted two home runs in DMACC's win in the opener on April 9. The Bears led 3-1 after the first inning and 13-3 after scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the second. They closed out the win with two runs in the bottom of the third.

Dighton had three hits in the win and drove in seven runs. Sophomore Jada Collins of Des Moines had a pair of hits and sophomore Delaney Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., and freshman Kaylynne Salyars of Muscatine drove in two runs apiece.

Dighton pitched the first three innings and improved to 8-1 with the win. She allowed three runs on five hits, struck out five and walked one. Freshman Sydney Kennedy of Peosta went two innings and struck out two batters.

Dighton homered and doubled and drove in four runs in DMACC's win in the second game. Kennedy added a double and Collins, Miller and Salyars homered. DMACC led 6-1 after the first inning and 8-2 after the second inning. The Bears put the win away with two runs in the bottom of the third and four runs in the bottom of the sixth when the game was called because of the mercy rule.

Kennedy paced DMACC's 13-hit attack with four singles to go with her double. Dighton and Collins had two hits apiece and Collins joined Dighton with four RBIs. Miller had two RBIs.

Sophomore Abby Flanagan of Coggon ran her record to 10-0 with the win. She went three innings, allowing two runs on four hits. She struck out five and walked one. Sophomore Lexi Lander of Onawa went two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on four hits. She struck out three and walked one. Kennedy pitched a third of an inning and struck out the only batter she faced.

Dighton and Salyars belted home runs and Miller, Kelley, Salyars and freshman Kendal Clark of Humboldt had doubles in DMACC's win in the opener on April 10. The Bears broke a 0-0 tie with six runs in the bottom of the third and scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth. NECC tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Dighton, Miller, Kelley and Salyars had two hits apiece in the win and Salyars led the Bears in RBIs with three. Dighton, Clark and Kelley drove in two runs apiece.

Kennedy threw all five innings to stay unbeaten at 5-0. She allowed two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked one.

Kennedy had a triple and a home run, Clark doubled and Collins and Miller also homered as DMACC took the second game on April 10. The Bears broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the bottom of the second and closed out the win with seven runs in the bottom of the third.

Kennedy, Collins and Clark had two hits apiece in the win and Collins led the Bears in RBIs with four. Kennedy and Miller drove in three runs apiece and Dighton came away with two RBIs.

Lander threw the first three innings and improved to 8-1 with the win. She allowed two runs on three hits, struck out five and walked one. Flanagan pitched two innings, allowing one hit, striking out three and walking one.

Dighton now leads the ICCAC in home runs with 18 and in RBIs with 58. Clark, freshman Madison Kearns of Glenpool, Okla., and Miller are third, fourth and fifth in home runs with 14, 12 and 10 respectively. Kearns, Clark and Miller are second, third and fourth in RBIs with 53, 52 and 50 respectively. Clark tops the conference in batting average at .528 and sophomore Abby Husak of Polk City and Miller are third and fifth. Husak is hitting .514 and Miller is at .471. Husak leads the conference in stolen bases with 20.

Flanagan is tied for second in the conference in wins with 10 and leads the way in earned run average at 1.17. Lander and Kennedy are second and third in ERA at 1.59 and 2.03 respectively. Kennedy tops the league in saves with six and Dighton and sophomore Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt have one apiece.

The DMACC softball team will face Marshalltown Community College (MCC) in a doubleheader April 14 at the DMACC softball teams. Game times are 2 and 4 p.m. MCC, an NJCAA Division I program, is 5-19 overall and 0-8 in the ICCAC.