After resuming Tuesday’s suspended doubleheader against visiting Johnston, the Ankeny softball team settled for a split of the twinbill on Wednesday.
The ninth-ranked Hawkettes held on for a 7-5 victory in the opener before No. 8 Johnston salvaged a split with a 5-3 win in the nightcap. Ankeny pitcher Abby Rusher went 2-for-3 and got the decision in both games.
Cassie Johnson went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the first game. It was her fourth homer of the season, which is tied for third among the state’s leaders.
“She’s hitting the ball to all fields,” said Ankeny coach Dave Bingham, whose team moved up to No. 6 in the latest Class 5A rankings on Thursday. “I really like her temperament at the plate.”
That contest was suspended due to rain with Ankeny holding a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning on Tuesday. Rusher pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while racking up five strikeouts.
The Dragons rallied for three runs, two of them unearned, against reliever Aubrey Lensmeyer in the seventh inning. But Lensmeyer got the final four outs to preserve the win.
“The first game was really well played,” Bingham said. “Credit to Johnston for showing up and really swinging the bat. They do a really good job of hitting the low and away pitch. It did give them some momentum (for the second game). It was an awkward deal, but no excuses.”
Larissa Miller, Reagan Enright and Katie Kirschman each drove in a run for the Hawkettes. Rylee Riesberg had a double and scored a run.
In the second game, Johnston used a three-run sixth inning to erase a 3-2 deficit. Rusher (5-1) suffered her first loss, allowing six hits over the first six innings.
None of the five runs that Rusher allowed were earned. Ankeny committed six errors in the loss.
“Abby was a good matchup for them, and it was interesting to have her available for both games,” Bingham said. “I thought we played well the second game, but we did have some errors that kind of spiraled. I think the errors will take care of themselves. We had been playing pretty clean up until that game.”
Miller went 2-for-2 and scored a run, while Johnson went 2-for-3 and also scored a run. Johnson is now hitting .556 on the season.
Kendra Lewis and Alysa Lowe each had an RBI for the Hawkettes, who are now 3-1 in the CIML Conference and 7-2 overall. Johnston’s records are 1-1 and 2-2.
Ankeny will host another conference doubleheader against No. 3 Southeast Polk (6-1) on Friday.
“All of the teams in our league pose some sort of challenge,” Bingham said. “This will be another one, but our girls will be ready.”
