The Ankeny softball team split a pair of games in the John Stephens Classic at Creston before Saturday’s contests against fifth-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes and Bondurant-Farrar were rained out.
The Hawkettes opened the tournament on Friday with a 13-4 win over Clarinda (6-4) in four innings. Ava Schlee drove in three runs, while Kensington Arringdale went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs.
Brylee Bach also knocked in two runs. Avery Nelson doubled and had one RBI.
Sarah Munger (2-0) earned the win. She allowed four earned runs on four hits.
“We swung it very well and stayed on course with the approach at the plate,” said Ankeny coach Sarah Saladino, whose team is now 5-7 on the season. “Sarah threw very well and was focused on the mound.”
Ankeny then dropped a 7-2 decision to Atlantic, the No. 11 team in Class 3A. Claire Schroder homered and had four RBIs for the Trojans (15-2).
Emma Munger (1-4) took the loss. She allowed three hits and four walks across four innings, giving up just two earned runs.
Freshman Abby Buenzow then made her varsity debut to close out the game. She allowed just one earned run on two hits over the final three innings.
Morgan Fisher went 2-for-3 in the loss. She tripled and scored a run.
Nelson and Sarah Munger each drove in a run. Arringdale and Bach each had a double.
“We just have to continue to adapt the approach at the plate based on what the pitcher is throwing us,” Saladino said. “The sooner we adapt, the more success we will continue to have. The girls are continuing to work hard, and things will continue to fall in place. We play six days next week, and the volume of games continues to prepares us for regionals. We are proud of the resilience these girls have and the tenacity that they bring every game.”
The Hawkettes will host a CIML Conference game on Monday against No. 3 Valley. The Tigers are 8-2 in the league and 11-4 overall after posting a pair of 4-0 shutouts over Ottumwa and Iowa City Liberty on Saturday.