(Story by Dom Tornabane)
The Ankeny softball team got a much-needed sweep on Tuesday in a make-up doubleheader against visiting Southeast Polk, the No. 4 team in Class 5A.
After grinding out a 4-3 win in the opener, the Hawkettes completed the sweep with a 9-4 victory. They moved ahead of Southeast Polk and into sole possession of fifth place in the CIML Conference, improving to 5-6 in the league and 7-8 overall.
The Rams’ records dropped to 3-8 and 9-9.
The first game was suspended due to rain on June 4 with Southeast Polk holding a 2-0 lead in the first inning. When play resumed on Tuesday, the Hawkettes immediately tied the score in the bottom of the frame.
Ankeny took the lead in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Avery Nelson.
“It was a really big momentum changer, and it helped out the team a lot,” Nelson said.
Sarah Munger then added an RBI single for what proved to be the winning run. She went 3-for-4 and knocked in two runs.
The Rams got a run back in the fifth inning, but Emma Munger (2-4) then shut them down the rest of the way. She pitched the final six innings in relief, allowing just one earned run on five hits.
Ankeny also turned a huge double play in the seventh inning to preserve the win.
“The grittiness we showed through the entire game was there, and we produced when we needed to,” Ankeny coach Sarah Saladino said.
In the nightcap, Southeast Polk scored three runs in the fourth inning to erase Ankeny’s 2-0 lead. The Hawkettes then responded with four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Sarah Munger went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and five RBIs to lead the outburst. She now has three homers on the season.
Tenley Heidemann went 2-for-4 with a double and drove in two runs. Nelson went 2-for-3, scored twice and had one RBI.
Sarah Munger (3-0) also earned the victory in the circle. She allowed one earned run on two hits over the last four innings.
Ankeny will host another conference doubleheader against Johnston on Wednesday. The Dragons are 2-8 in the league and 7-10 overall.
