Lensmeyer hurls Hawkettes past Dowling in first game of doubleheader split

Ankeny’s Aubrey Lensmeyer throws a pitch during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader at Dowling Catholic. She tossed a four-hitter with four strikeouts and also had an RBI to lead the Hawkettes to a 2-1 victory. Dowling then won the second game, 4-0. (Photo by Dan Holm)

If the Ankeny softball team is going to pull off any surprises in postseason play, the Hawkettes will likely need to rely on the right arm of senior pitcher Aubrey Lensmeyer.

The South Dakota recruit tossed a four-hitter and had four strikeouts to lead Ankeny to a 2-1 victory at Dowling Catholic in the first game of a doubleheader on Monday. The Maroons then earned a split of the twinbill with a 4-0 win in the nightcap.

Lensmeyer (8-11) has allowed just two earned runs on eight hits over her last 21 innings. She has lowered her ERA to 3.22.

**Ankeny’s Aubrey Lensmeyer pitches to a Dowling Catholic batter during the opener of Monday’s twinbill. She has allowed just two earned runs in her last 21 innings. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

“She was really strong on the mound,” said Ankeny coach Sarah Saladino. “As we get closer to this postseason, I continue to see our pitchers working on their location and really adapting to different sequences that we’re throwing. It just seemed like she had more pop tonight, like she was throwing harder. And that’s exactly what you want at this point in the season–for your pitchers to be getting stronger.”

The Hawkettes scored a run in each of the first two innings to give Lensmeyer an early lead. Morgan Fisher led off the game with a hit and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Lensmeyer.

Brylee Bach singled in the second and later came home on a two-out single by Kaylyn Miller. Miller went 2-for-4 in the win, while Madison Meyers had a double.

Ankeny’s Morgan Fisher (right) heads back to the dugout after scoring the first run of Monday’s opener. She went 3-for-4 in the Hawkettes’ win and also had a hit in the nightcap. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Fisher went 3-for-4 to provide a spark at the top of the lineup.

“It’s so fun to watch when you have speed on the bases, and when you have those left-handed batters in the box they’re already a step or two closer to first base,” Saladino said of the trio of Fisher, Avery Nelson and Bach. “It’s just controlled chaos is what I tell them.”

In the second game, Dowling broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third inning. The Maroons then added another run in the sixth.

**Ankeny right fielder Brylee Bach fields a hit by Dowling Catholic during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

Miller (3-10) took the loss. She allowed just one earned run on five hits.

“I think we had four errors defensively,” Saladino said. “It’s hard when you’re not making the routine plays.”

Sarah Munger went 2-for-3 in the loss. Fisher and Tenley Heidemann each had a hit.

**Ankeny’s Avery Nelson tries to beat the throw to first base after dropping down a bunt during the first game of Monday’s twinbill. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

The Hawkettes are now 6-14 in the CIML Conference and 11-21 overall. Dowling’s records are 4-12 and 8-13.

Ankeny will host a make-up conference game against sixth-ranked Southeast Polk on Tuesday at 10 a.m. The Rams (13-6, 22-9) swept No. 5 Johnston on Monday and are riding a four-game winning streak.

The two teams split a doubleheader on June 5. They could potentially meet again for a fourth time in a Class 5A regional final in two weeks.