Apparently, no lead is safe against the Ankeny Centennial softball team.
The second-ranked Jaguars showed on Wednesday that they are fully capable of overcoming a huge deficit.
Trailing 10-3 in the second game of a doubleheader against visiting Southeast Polk, Centennial erupted for 10 runs in the fifth inning and then held on for a 13-12 win, allowing the Jaguars to salvage a split.
“It was one of those nights where we didn’t get on top early and had to claw and fight our way back all night long,” said Centennial coach Brett Delaney. “We found a way to get it done.”
Mary Brantley hit a solo home run, her first of the season, to ignite the rally. Mady Ott later hit a three-run blast, her second of the year.
Makenna Foster eventually hit a two-run double to tie the game at 10-10. After Ava Faber hit an RBI single to put the Jaguars ahead, Jordyn Kennedy capped the outburst with a two-run homer–her fifth of the season.
Peyten Spiegel (2-0) earned the win with 4 2/3 innings of relief. She allowed three earned runs on five hits and had six strikeouts.
Southeast Polk scored two runs in the top of the seventh, but Spiegel got out of the jam to preserve the victory.
“She came into a high-intensity situation in that game and found a way to get it done,” Delaney said.
The Jaguars pounded out 11 hits off three Southeast Polk pitchers, seven of them for extra bases. Ott went 2-for-2 with a double and four RBIs, while Kennedy went 2-for-2 and Brantley went 2-for-4.
Kori Lincicum went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and two RBIs. It was her third home run of the season.
Kennedy Borud had a big night at the plate for the No. 9 Rams. She homered and had three RBIs in both games.
Southeast Polk scored all five of its runs in the third inning of the opener. Centennial answered with three runs in the fourth, but could not get any closer.
Karter Price scattered eight hits and six walks to get the win. The loss snapped the Jaguars’ five-game winning streak.
“We had all the opportunities we wanted in the first game,” Delaney said. “We were barreling balls up, but we left 10 runners on. They were making plays and ultimately we didn’t come up clutch enough in a few situations, but it’s early in the season and these girls are learning. But they have each other’s backs, and they could have easily folded tonight but they found a way to rally together in the second game and come back and win it.”
Camden Starr went 2-for-2 and had two RBIs for Centennial in the first game. Lauren Bartine doubled and drove in a run, while Kennedy went 2-for-3.
Lincicum (1-2) went the distance in the loss. She allowed five earned runs on five hits and had two strikeouts.
The Jaguars are now 4-2 in the CIML Conference and 6-2 overall. Southeast Polk’s records are 3-1 and 3-3.
Centennial will play another conference doubleheader on Thursday at No. 1 Waukee Northwest. The Wolves are 4-1 in the league and 6-1 overall after splitting with No. 11 Waukee on Wednesday.