Rams pound out 13 hits, defeat Centennial in 5 innings to capture season series

Ankeny Centennial’s Aubrey Scieszinski throws a pitch during Saturday’s game at Southeast Polk. The Rams posted a 9-1 victory in five innings in the completion of a contest that was earlier suspended due to rain. (Photo by Dan Holm)

This time, the Ankeny Centennial softball team was unable to make a huge comeback against CIML Conference rival Southeast Polk.

Kennedy Borud and Jesslyn Stairs combined for six hits and five RBIs as the sixth-ranked Rams rolled to a 9-1 victory over No. 3 Centennial in five innings in the completion of a suspended game on Saturday at Pleasant Hill.

The two teams had split a doubleheader at Centennial on June 4, when the Jaguars rallied for 10 runs in the fifth inning of the nightcap to post a 13-12 win that allowed them to avoid being swept.

On Saturday, Southeast Polk built a 4-0 lead after three innings. The Jaguars got on the board in the top of the fourth when Jordyn Kennedy hit an RBI double with no outs, but Karter Price retired the next three batters in order to limit the damage.

**Ankeny Centennial’s Ava Faber crosses home plate to score the Jaguars’ lone run in Saturday’s game. She came home on a double by Jordyn Kennedy. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

The Rams then broke it open with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Stairs hit a bases-loaded single with one out to drive in one run, then another run scored when Kailee Thamontri reached on an error with two outs.

After Price followed with a two-run single to make it 8-1, Southeast Polk added another run in the fifth to walk off with the win. The Rams–who pounded out 13 hits–improved to 11-6 in the league and 20-9 overall, while Centennial’s records dropped to 15-5 and 23-9.

The heart of Southeast Polk’s lineup went a combined 9-for-10 in the win. No. 3 hitter Ava Miller set the table for Borud and Stairs, going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.

Borud went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Stairs went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in three runs.

**Ankeny Centennial’s Camden Starr waits on a pitch during Saturday’s game. The Jaguars had just two hits off Southeast Polk pitcher Karter Price. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

Price allowed no earned runs on just two hits and had three strikeouts. She also tossed an eight-hitter to beat the Jaguars, 5-3, in the opener of the twinbill earlier this month.

Centennial will host a non-conference game against Fort Dodge (22-9) on Tuesday. It will be the Jaguars’ Senior Night.

The Dodgers, who are ranked eighth in Class 4A, will try to avenge an earlier loss. They fell to Centennial, 11-2, in five innings in the fifth-place game of the Fort Dodge Invitational on June 21.