DES MOINES — Perry dropped a pair of non-conference softball contests to host Des Moines Christian Monday, with the Lions winning the opener, 7-3, before claiming an 11-6 win in the nightcap.
Perry (2-15) was the home team in the first game and answered a DMC (7-12-1) run with a tally of their own when Lydia Olejniczak led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball.
DMC scored three times in the fifth and twice in the sixth to open a 6-1 lead, with a run in the seventh pushing the gap to 7-1.
Perry countered when Peyton Tunink singled, as did Taylor Atwell. A Jasmine Shriver base hit followed, with courtesy runner Hannah Peterson scoring on an Olejniczak sacrifice fly while Jayna Kenney drove in a run with a base hit to account for the final score.
Kenney finished with two hits, as did Shriver, who also scored. Peyton Tunink, Kennedy Tunink, Cassidy Heck and Atwell also had hits.
The loss went to Kenney, who yielded seven runs (four earned) on 11 hits and four walks while striking out two.
Audrey Klein allowed nine hits and three runs in seven innings for the win on the rubber. She struck out eight batters and walked two.
Kaliegh Friend reached safely in all five of her at-bats with four singles and a Jayette error. Finley Schelhaas aided the cause with two hits of her own.
Schelhaas and Paige Richards each scored three times in the second game, with Friend adding a double and two singles to spark the Lions.
The hosts held a 3-0 lead until Perry scored twice in the third and then three times in the top of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. DMC countered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth, then offset a Jayette tally in the fifth with three more scores for the eventual 11-6 triumph.
Olejniczak was hit by a pitch, stole second base and scored on a Kenney hit for the first Perry run, with Kenney scoring later in the third when Macy Killmer singled.
A lead-off walk to Cassidy Heck and a two-out base hit from Shriver put two aboard in the fourth, with Olejniczak cleaning the bags with a three-run home run, her first of the season.
Perry’s final run came when Killmer walked and eventually scored on a Peyton Tunink hit.
Kenney had a double, two singles, a run and a RBI to go with the three-run dinger, two runs and three RBIs provided by Olejniczak. Killmer walked twice to go with her two hits, with Molly Lutmer and Heck also drawing walks.
Maci Tunink started for Perry and went 3-1/3 innings. She was handed the loss after allowing eight runs (two were unearned) on seven hits and five walks. Kenney tossed 3-2/3 frames of relief, surrendering three runs on a hit and three walks. Both Perry pitchers recorded a single strikeout.
Macy Chittenden went three innings for the hosts, allowing two runs on four hits. She struck out one and hit one batter. Friend pitched the final four innings and was touched for four runs on four hits and five walks while striking out two.
Perry returns to action Thursday when they travel to Gilbert (10-8) for a Class 4A Region 2 scrap. The teams met June 16 in Perry, with Gilbert winning 12-7 after each team had scored six first-inning runs.
The winner moves on to face host and ninth-ranked DC-G (17-7) Saturday. The Regional Final will be played at a site to be determined July 21. Webster City awaits the winner of Boone vs Ballard in the bottom half of the bracket.
All regional games will begin at 7 p.m.
