• Sophomore Macee Reiling's four RBIs lead Bears past KCC in the second game of a doubleheader
• Sophomore Kierra Jungers throws a one-hitter in an 8-0 win over Hawkeye CC
• Sophomore Jacki Baas freshman Grace Herrem combine on a no-hitter in a 13-0 win over Hawkeye CC

The DMACC softball team improved to 20-7 overall and 5-1 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) after winning three of four games in doubleheaders against Kirkwood Community College (KCC) and Hawkeye Community College (HCC) on March 21 and 22.

The Bears, ranked ninth in the most recent Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), lost the opener against fourth-ranked KCC on March 21 at Cedar Rapids, 8-3, and won the nightcap, 10-9. Sophomore Kierra Jungers of Fonda pitched a one-hitter and sophomore Jacki Baas of Bondurant and freshmen Grace Herrem of Fall Creek, Wis., combined on a no-hitter as DMACC took both ends of a doubleheader against HCC March 22 at Hudson, 8-0 and 13-0. The first game was called after six innings because of the run rule and the second game ended after five innings because of the run rule.

KCC used two runs in the third, five in the fourth and one in the sixth in winning the opener on March 21. DMACC scored all three of its runs in the top of the sixth.

The Bears had just five hits in the game, all singles, and freshman Mackenzie Mohler of West Des Moines and sophomore Erin Ades of Boone drove in one run apiece.

Jungers pitched the first three and a third innings and fell to 6-5 with the loss. She allowed seven runs on four hits, struck out six and walked two. Sophomore Brooklyn Baumgardner of Slater went two and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

Sophomore Macee Reiling of Dallas Center had three hits, including a double, and drove in four runs to lead DMACC past the Eagles in the second game. The Bears trailed 5-2 after the first inning and 7-6 after the second inning before taking the lead for good with two runs in the third and one each in the fourth and fifth innings. KCC tallied its final two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Ades joined Reiling with three hits in the game, including a home run, and sophomores Bri Tigges of Urbandale and Morgan Neuroth of LeGrand had two hits apiece. Ades drove in a pair of runs. Extra-base hits included doubles by freshmen Dana Blake of Indianola and Cali Richards of Des Moines.

Baas pitched the first inning and a third, allowing seven runs on five hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Baumgardner went five and two-thirds innings and improved to 3-0 with the win. She allowed two runs on three hits with one strikeout and one walk.

Jungers ran her record to 7-5 with 12 strikeouts and two walks in DMACC's win in the first game against HCC. The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the second, made it a 6-0 game with four runs in the third and close it out with two runs in the sixth.

Ades and Richards paced DMACC at the plate with two hits apiece and the Bears got home runs from Mohler and freshman Bella Taylor of Winterset. Extra-base hits also included two doubles by Ades and one from Richards and a triple by Tigges. Richards drove in three DMACC runs and Taylor had a pair of RBIs.

Baas improved to 10-2 with the win in the second game. She went three innings, striking out four and walking one and Herrem struck out three and walked one in two innings.

Tigges was DMACC's top hitter with three hits and Reiling, Ades and sophomore Baylor Gregory of Papillion, Neb., had two hits apiece. Reiling homered and doubled and Mohler also homered. She drove in three DMACC runs and Reiling and Gregory had two RBIs apiece.

The DMACC softball team will play a doubleheader against Ellsworth Community College (ECC) today at the DMACC softball diamond. ECC is 16-12 overall and 2-4 in the ICCAC.