Lauren Solis and the Ankeny Centennial softball team didn’t give up after the Jaguars fell behind visiting Ames, 6-1, in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader.
Sixth-ranked Centennial rallied for a 7-6 victory on Solis’ walk-off single in the seventh inning, then completed a sweep with an 11-3 win over the No. 11 Little Cyclones in the nightcap.
The Jaguars improved to 6-4 in the CIML Iowa Conference and 10-6 overall. Ames’ records dropped to 5-5 and 11-6.
Lauren Gustofson (3-2) earned the win in the opener, allowing no earned runs on seven hits over the final six innings. She replaced starter Jadeyn Stahr in the second inning and gave up a grand slam to Kyra Anderson in the third that extended Ames’ lead to 6-1.
Centennial answered with two runs in the bottom of the third, then tied the game with a three-run rally in the sixth. Sydney Morris hit an RBI single to pull the Jaguars within 6-5, then Payton Drefke followed with a sacrifice fly.
In the top of the seventh, Ames got a runner on base with one out. But Gustofson then turned a line drive by Anderson into an inning-ending double play.
Mackenzie James and Gustofson each drew a walk in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Solis hit a grounder up the middle to score James from second base.
Solis went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs. Drefke and Addi Starr also went 2-for-3, while Jordyn Kennedy went 2-for-4.
A five-run second inning ignited Centennial’s rout in the second game. Gustofson went 4-for-4 with two RBIs in the win.
Starr went 2-for-3 with a double and knocked in four runs. Kennedy went 2-for-3 and scored four times, while Morris went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Drefke went 2-for-5 for the Jaguars, who pounded out 15 hits in their third straight triumph.
Stahr (6-2) was the winning pitcher. She allowed two earned runs on seven hits over the first six innings.
Centennial will play a non-conference game on Tuesday at Carlisle (10-3), the No. 4 team in Class 4A.
