DES MOINES — Wins of 8-2 and of 16-9 helped the Des Moines Christian softball team raise their record to 12-17 and 9-11 Thursday while visiting Woodward-Granger saw their mark fall to 6-27 and 2-17.
W-G was playing for the first time in a month with senior outfielder Alissa Smeltzer and senior shortstop Katelyn Bandstra in the lineup, and both made themselves noticed in each contest.
Each had a single and Bandstra a RBI in the nightcap after Smeltzer singled and Bandstra scored in the opener.
DMC led, 3-0, early in game one before W-G plated a pair of runs in the top of the third to draw within 3-2. Unfortunately for W-G loyalists DMC was able to send four runners across the plate in the fourth and one more in the sixth to salt away the win.
Kaleigh Friend was less than pleasant for the Hawks as the Lion power-hitter swatted a pair of home runs and added a two-run triple while driving in five total runs. Emily Turnquist aided DMC with a home run, a base hit and two RBIs.
Caitlin Kellner allowed only three hits and two runs (one earned) in seven frames for the win. She walked two and struck out five.
Natalie Weaver had a RBI-double for W-G, with Smeltzer and Rian Jamison adding base hits. Alex Mehrhoff and Bandstra each scored for the Hawks.
Jamison threw six frames, yielding eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits and six walks.
The Lions possessed an 8-2 lead after four frames in the nightcap, but the Hawks scored three times in the fifth before countering two DMC runs with three additional scores in the sixth as the score moved to 10-8.
DMC put the game away in the top of the seventh, hitting five singles and collecting an intentional walk after two outs had been made to swell their advantage to 16-8. A final W-G run in the bottom of the stanza created the final.
Friend pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (four earned) on six hits and seven walks while striking out four. Kellner threw 1-2/3 frames in relief, yielding a run on two hits while striking out one.
Alayna Bakke hit a solo home run, a double and a single for the Lions, with Rose VanderLinden driving in three runs with a pair of singles. Emma Veenstra had two doubles and a single while Emma Wilson had two hits and three RBIs.
Emma Anderson doubled for the Hawks, with Bandstra, Smeltzer and Chloe Houge each providing hits. Houge had two RBIs and Bandstra one.
Ava Petersen suffered the loss in the circle. She pitched seven innings, surrendering 16 runs (11 earned) on 17 hits and five walks.
W-G hosts Southeast Valley today (Friday), visits Roland-Story Monday and will entertain AC/GC Tuesday.
