URBANDALE — The rain that erased games in northern Dallas and southern Boone counties did not fall on Woodward-Granger and host Des Moines Christian, but lightning associated with the storms may have played a role in Tuesday’s WCC doubleheader ending in a split decision.
W-G (17-6, 10-1) rallied from a 4-1 hole as the visiting team to score a 14-8 victory in the opening contest. A 30-minute lightning delay pushed back the start of the second contest, and with no lights at the DMC diamond, the game ended after five frames with the Lions holding a 7-5 lead.
The fences are not deep at the diamond, and that factor, combined with a brisk wind blowing out, lead to a veritable barrage of home runs. DMC hit three homers and W-G four in the first game, with each team belting a four-bagger in the nightcap.
The Hawks turned a 4-1 deficit in to a 6-4 lead with a five-run fourth inning in game one. The Lions closed to within 6-5, then countered three fifth-inning runs from the Hawks with three of their own in the sixth to put the score at 9-8, but W-G pulled away for the win by crossing the plate five times in the top of the seventh.
Dalaney Bice jacked two home runs and drove in four runs for W-G, with Carli Major 3-for-4 with a double, four RBIs and her first career home run. Younger sister Kaycee also went deep and added a double, with Kendra Husmann hitting two doubles and driving in three while Bree Lesch and Meagan Bandstra both contributed doubles. Courtesy runner Anna Tague scored three times for the Hawks.
Bice tossed four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two. Riley Jamison threw three frames, yielding three runs (two earned) on six hits while fanning one.
Alayna Bakke was 4-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored for the Lions, with Emma Veenstra swatting a two-run home run while Olivia Penland was 2-for-4 with a homer.
Brooke Mumford took the loss after surrendering 13 runs on 15 hits and five walks in six frames. Beth Zimmer relieved for an inning, allowing a run on two hits.
DMC was the visitor for game two and scored once in the first and twice in the second only to see W-G surge to the lead with four runs in the bottom of the second. The Lions tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Hawks answered with a run of their own to hold a 5-4 edge as the skies began to darken.
The Lions made the most of the moment, scoring three times in the top of the fifth to snatch a 7-5 lead, and when the Hawks failed to respond in their next at-bat the umpires ruled the game both official and called due to darkness.
Jamison started and went three innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk while Bice tossed two frames, surrendering three runs on four hits while walking five. Both hurlers finished with one strikeout.
Bice cranked her third homer of the day — her all-classes leading 13th of the year and the 48th of her career — while adding a single and driving in two.
Carli Major had two RBIs, Lesch a double and a RBI and Maggi Mallon a single and a double. Husmann and Miranda Aunspach also provided base hits.
Penland earned the win in five frames of duty in the ring. She allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk while retiring three on strikes.
Mumford was 2-for-2 with a solo home run while Veenstra finished 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI.
W-G travels to Stuart for a WCC doubleheader with West Central Valley Thursday. The Hawks will play twice Friday and twice Saturday in the Clear Creek-Amana Classic in Iowa City. W-G faces Williamsburg at 1 p.m. Friday and Class 2A No. 1 Iowa City Regina at 5 p.m. before playing Class 4A No. 2 Carlisle at 10:45 a.m. and Central Clinton at 4 p.m. Saturday.
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