A dramatic rally allowed the Ankeny softball team to win the season series against seventh-ranked Dowling Catholic.
The Hawkettes scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to post a 7-6 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Monday at Ankeny. Emerson Hutchins hit a walk-off, two-run single with two outs to cap the rally.
“I was just trying to foul off everything that was close to keep the at-bat going and hopefully get something to the gaps,” said Hutchins.
The Maroons earned a split of the twinbill with a 14-5 win in the nightcap, but Ankeny won two of the three meetings this season. The Hawkettes are now 7-14 in the CIML Conference and 12-21 overall, while Dowling’s records are 8-12 and 16-13.
“We did what we needed to do to take the win,” said Ankeny coach Sarah Saladino. “We swung it well, Abby Buenzow did a great job on the mound, and the defense complemented her.”
Buenzow (2-1) allowed five earned runs on four hits and four walks. The freshman recorded a pair of strikeouts.
“I just like to play for my team,” said Buenzow. “When I’m pitching for my team, I want to win it for them, especially the seniors. I want to give them their best last season and to just prove to people that I can do it.”
Shortstop Kensington Arringdale said she loves playing defense behind Buenzow.
“She’s super cool, calm and collected, and she gets the job done,” said Arringdale, who had three home runs on the night. “And she doesn’t take things to heart. She doesn’t let the mistakes bother her and just keeps coming back to do better.”
Buenzow retired eight straight batters before Dowling tied the game at 3-3 on an RBI grounder by Grace Nagel in the sixth inning. Ankeny regained the lead in the bottom of the frame when Hutchins, who had just missed hitting a homer earlier in the at-bat, tripled to right and then scored on a wild pitch.
The Maroons tied the game again in the seventh when Lively Hanawalt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Abby Johnson followed with a two-run single to make it 6-4, but Buenzow still had faith in her team to battle back.
“I was very confident,” she said. “I was very proud of them for continuing to fight for this game.”
Arringdale hit a leadoff homer to spark Ankeny’s rally. She also had a two-run blast earlier in the game.
“I felt confident up there,” Arringdale said. “I knew I needed to do my job and I did that, and then I can trust all the girls behind me to get on and they’re going to move them over. I had faith–I knew we were going to pull through.”
Ava Schlee singled with one out and was bunted to second by Kinsley Ihle. Schlee went to third on a single by Brylee Bach, who advanced to second on the throw.
Hutchins then hit a grounder through the left side to walk it off.
“I’m so happy for us,” Arringdale said. “We needed (that win).”
Emma Munger went 2-for-2 and scored a run for the Hawkettes. Morgan Fisher added an RBI single.
In the second game, Dowling erupted for nine runs in the first inning and cruised to a run-rule win in five innings. Munger (3-14), the first of three Ankeny pitchers, took the loss.
Hanawalt and Johnson hit back-to-back homers in the Maroons’ outburst. The duo later capped the big inning with a two-run double and a two-run single.
Both Hanawalt and Johnson had five RBIs in the game. Johnson later connected for another homer, her ninth of the season.
Arringdale had a three-run homer for Ankeny, her eighth in the last 13 days. She is now tied for fifth in Class 5A with 13 home runs.
“She’s just so relaxed at the plate,” Saladino said. “She always talks about, ‘My plan is I go up there and see ball hit ball.’ There’s no pressure for her, and she just swings it.”
Bach had an RBI double. Fisher also doubled and scored a pair of runs.
Avery Nelson went 2-for-2. She hit an RBI single in the fourth to extend the game, but the Maroons then closed it out in the fifth.
The Hawkettes will host a conference game against No. 1 Waukee Northwest on Wednesday. The Wolves are 17-3 in the league and 31-3 overall.
Ankeny was swept in a doubleheader at Northwest, 9-0 and 5-0, on June 8.
“I told them we haven’t even played our best ball yet,” Saladino said.
