- DMACC takes 13-0 and 21-1 decisions from Southeast (Neb.) CC
- Bears beat Hawkeye CC 13-0 and 8-1
- DMACC will be the No. 2 seed in the Region 11-B tournament
The DMACC softball team closed out the regular season at 49-10 overall and 32-4 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) after winning doubleheaders from Central (Neb.) Community College (CNCC) and Hawkeye Community College (HCC) April 24 and 25 respectively at the DMACC softball team.
The Bears, ranked 11th in the most recent Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), defeated CNCC by scores of 13-0 and 21-1 and handed HCC 13-0 and 8-1 losses to run their current winning streak to 15 consecutive games. Both games against CNCC and the first game against HCC were called after five innings because of the run rule.
DMACC finished second to Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in the regular-season ICCAC standings. The Eagles, the top seed in NJCAA Division II, took the championship with a 35-1 mark and are 55-5 overall.
Sophomores Kierra Jungers of Fonda and Brooklyn Bumgardner of Slater combined on a no-hitter and sophomore Macee Reiling of Dallas Center drove in five runs in DMACC's 13-0 win over CNCC. The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, made it a 10-0 game with eight runs in the second and closed out the win with three runs in the fourth.
Jungers, who earned the win, struck out nine batters over four innings and Baumgardner retired three of the four batters she faced in one inning in the circle.
Reiling belted a home run and also singled in driving in her five runs. Sophomore Mo Purdy of Des Moines paced the Bears at the plate with three hits, including a double and a triple, and freshmen Mackenzie Mohler of West Des Moines and Cali Richards of Des Moines joined Reiling with two hits apiece. Richard hit a pair of doubles and Mohler added one.
DMACC took an 11-0 lead in the first inning of the second game and put the win out of reach with four runs in the second, four in the third and one in the fourth. CNCC scored its lone run in the top of the third.
Purdy and Reiling led DMACC offensively with three hits apiece and six RBIs from Purdy and four by Reiling. Sophomores Bri Tigges of Urbandale and Erin Ades of Boone and freshman Dana Blake of Indianola had two hits apiece. Purdy had a home run and a triple, Reiling and Ades hit two doubles apiece and Mohler, Richards and freshmen Luci Weber of Dubuque and Lucy Lucas of Polk City also doubled.
Sophomore Jacki Baas of Bondurant came away with the win. She went three innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Baumgardner allowed one hit and struck out two batters in one inning of work and freshman Grace Herrem of Fall Creek, Wis., surrendered one hit and struck out two in one inning.
The Bears used two runs in the second, three in the third and eight in the fourth in handing HCC a 13-0 loss in the first game on April 25.
Reiling was again one of DMACC's top hitters with four hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Richard has two hits and drove in four runs. The Bears also got two hits, including a double, from sophomore Morgan Neuroth of LeGrand and she drove in a pair of runs. Ades also doubled in the win.
Jungers threw all five innings and improved to 20-6 with the win. She allowed one hit and struck out 11 batters.
Reiling had two hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs in DMACC's win in the second game. The Bears took a 3-0 lead in the first, added four runs in the second and scored their other run in the fifth. HCC scored its lone run in the fifth.
Reiling's home run was one of four hit by the Bears in the win. Blake, Neuroth and Ades also homered and Reiling and Tigges hit doubles. Reiling, Tigges and Neuroth had two hits apiece in the win.
Baas improved to 23-4 with the win. She went six innings, allowing one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Baumgardner threw one inning, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.
The DMACC softball team will be the No. 2 seed in the Region 11-B tournament May 1 to 3 at the DMACC softball diamond. The Bears will face seventh-seeded Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NENCC) in their tournament opener May 1 at 2 p.m. Third-seeded Iowa Central Community College (ICCC) and sixth-seeded HCC make up the other half of the bracket and will play at 4 p.m. on May 1. The double-elimination tournament continues with a championship bracket game and elimination games on May 2. The championship game is slated for noon on May 3 and a second championship, if needed, would be played immediately following the first championship game.
DMACC had its way against all three Region 11-B opponents, sweeping four games from each during the regular season.
The Region 11-B champion will advance to either the North Central District tournament or 2026 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series, pending the outcome of the Region 11-A tournament. No. 1-seeded KCC, eight-seeded Ellsworth Community College (ECC), fourth-seeded North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) and fifth-seeded Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) make up the bracket in the Region 11-A tournament.
The top seeded champion Region 11A/B will move on to the 2026 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series and the lower seeded champion will advance to the North Central District tournament.