MAC softball hangs 10 runs twice on NE Iowa

By MATT KING
mking@dailyjournalonline.com
PARK HILLS – Two distinct lineup combinations clicked, and pitchers Emma Mulholland and Grace Barton turned in solid complete games for the Mineral Area softball team on Friday.
A seven-run outburst in the second inning paved the way for a 10-2 triumph over Northeast Iowa and a doubleheader sweep after the Cardinals took the opener 10-4.
The roster depth of MAC was on display as infielders Kaylee Cline and Brianna DeSpain each had three quality plate appearances to finish 2-for-3 after not playing in game one.
Evvie Blankenship collected five more hits during the twin bill to keep the team lead, and extended her hit streak to eight games by going 2-for-4 in the second contest.
Mineral Area (16-6) maintains a .413 on-base percentage this season, and has scored eight or more runs in 10 consecutive games while winning 11 of its last 12 overall.
Northeast Iowa (10-6) managed only three hits against Mulholland in game two, but seized a brief 2-0 lead when No. 9 batter Allison Luka drilled a two-run double to right-center in the second inning.
The Cardinals countered by sending 11 batters to the plate in the home half. The rally began when Ana Turner reached on an error and Miley Conklin was hit by a pitch.
DeSpain followed with a single up the middle, and Cline fouled off a series of offerings before a sharp ground out forged a 2-2 tie.
Jacie Smith ignited further damage with a two-out single. Natalie Shea walked before Kelsie Politte hustled out a go-ahead infield hit that deflected off pitcher Peyton Mengel.
Blankenship punched an RBI hit through the right side, and Dixie Cloud delivered a crucial two-run double to right field. Turner then singled to make it 7-2.
Mulholland retired 13 of her final 16 batters faced – with two walks mixed in – and compiled four strikeouts over six innings. Seven outs were recorded on infield flies.
Cline singled after DeSpain slammed a double off the left-center fence in the third inning, then pushed the lead to 9-2 after Miley Conklin singled and advanced on an outfield misplay in the fifth.
Cloud equaled Cline with three RBI, and punctuated the contest with a blistering liner past the center fielder after pinch-hitter Kaylyn Woods and Blankenship singled off reliever Kaleigh Tull.
The Cougars received singles from shortstop Natalie Nenne and starting hurler Peyton Mengel, who yielded six runs – one earned – on eight hits in the loss.
Nenne made impressive defensive assists on sliding stops into the hole and near second base.
Blankenship contributed to all four scoring rallies by Mineral Area in game one, going 3-for-3 plus a walk. Her first two singles were blooped to nearly the same spot along the right-field line.
Turner provided an RBI double in the first inning, and handed the Cardinals a 5-2 advantage on a triple that carried to the right-field fence in the second.
Bronwyn Harding sparked Northeast Iowa with a leadoff double that was lost in the sunshine during the top of the third. Brooke Matic, Nenne and Mengel singled later in the frame.
Barton kept the margin at 5-4 with a key strikeout, and overcame an earlier error plus another unseen pop fly that landed untouched. She was charged for two earned runs while fanning five.
Mineral Area capitalized on a leadoff error with four ensuing hits and three runs in the bottom of the third against Cougars starter Addison Murilla.
Politte followed her earlier sacrifice fly with a single, and Smith ripped an RBI hit to the opposite field. Ava Spalding legged out a slicing double, and Blankenship singled sharply to make it 8-4.
Anna Crowley tripled past a lunging left fielder, and crossed the plate in the fourth when Politte coaxed a throwing error after stopping toward second base.
Cloud drove in two runs for MAC on a tying single in the first and bases-loaded walk in the sixth. She was denied a second hit when Cougars center fielder Ella Clark charged in for a diving catch.
Crowley reached base three times overall, and matched Blankenship and Spalding with two runs scored. Conklin benefited from the sun glare on an RBI double.
Barton retired seven consecutive batters during one stretch, and cruised through the seventh inning on three harmless fly balls in the longest outing of her freshman season.
Politte made an excellent catch in deep left-center, and threw out an earlier runner stretching for third. Emma Thiltgen prevented caught another one stealing.
Marilla picked up two strikeouts and walked three while yielding 11 runs – seven earned – on 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings. Ella Winslow obtained five outs in scoreless relief.
Nenne gave Northeast Iowa a 2-0 lead with a home run to left-center field, and also singled with two RBI and two runs scored. Clark also starred by going 3-for-3 from the No. 9 spot.