The Ankeny softball team closed out the regular season on Monday by being swept in a doubleheader at third-ranked Valley.
The Tigers posted an 8-0 win in six innings in the opener, then used a five-run sixth inning to seal an 11-5 victory in the nightcap. They improved to 17-5 in the CIML Conference and 28-7 overall, while Ankeny finished 7-17 in the league and dropped to 12-24 overall.
“We pitched well in game one. We just have to continue to work on plate production and capitalizing to score,” said Ankeny coach Sarah Saladino, whose team will enter postseason play on a four-game losing skid. “The second game we hit well. We just need to tighten up some areas to get the offense and defense firing at the same time.”
Lily Finn had a grand slam for Valley in the second game. Taylen Weite went 2-for-3 and knocked in two runs.
Ankeny’s Reagan Hogan hit a solo homer, her second of the season. Morgan Fisher went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Sarah Munger also doubled and drove in a run.
Emma Munger (3-15) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on four hits over the first 5 2/3 innings. She also walked eight.
Maddie Zlomke got the final five outs to preserve the win for Tealey Schwingendorf.
Zlomke tossed a three-hitter for the Tigers in the first game. She racked up seven strikeouts.
Fisher went 2-for-3 in the loss. She is now batting .409.
Finn went 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs. Campbell Broderick went 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in another.
Abby Buenzow (2-3) allowed four unearned runs on four hits before being pulled with two outs in the first inning. She was replaced by Sarah Munger, who allowed four earned runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings.
The Hawkettes will now have a few days off to prepare for the postseason. They will play at 14th-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie (26-13) in a Class 5A regional semifinal on Saturday.
