Pitching powers NIACC to sweep of Northeast CC

By The Globe Gazette staff

MASON CITY - Pitching has been the strong suit lately for NIACC and it was on display again Saturday in an ICCAC doubleheader vs. Northeast Community College.

NIACC won the opener 7-3 and took the second game 4-0.

Lexy Pederson struck out 13 batters as the Lady Trojans rolled to a 7-3 win in the opener and Sara Steinman pitched seven shutout innings to cap off the night with a 4-0 victory in Game 2. Neither pitcher allowed an earned run on the afternoon.

"Our pitchers can throw confidently when the defense is doing what they're doing. And they're just doing it the right way," NIACC coach Christi Weiser said. "When your defense is solid – not just making outstanding plays but making the necessary plays – then the pitchers can throw confidently."

Pederson now has 103 strikeouts this season becoming the sixth pitcher in school history with at least 100 strikeouts in a season. Pederson became the first NIACC pitcher with 100 strikeouts in a season since Laci Pustina struck out 125 in the 2009 season.

Elise Powers doubled twice in the opener and Becca Huberty, Tricia Notermann and Pederson added a double apiece. Allison Scott finished the game with two RBIs.

Katie LaBuda, Notermann and Steinman each had a pair of hits in the nightcap and LaBuda, Scott and Brittany Florea each doubled.

"It was just the little things we paid attention to," Weiser said. "Detail-wise, we did really well."

NIACC 7, Northeast CC 3

Northeast CC 000 201 0 - 3 3 3

NIACC 051 010 x - 7 10 2

Logan Runge (2K, 2BB, 1HBP) and Leah Grovijohn. Lexy Pederson (13K, 3BB) and Elise Powers. 2B - Powers 2, Becca Huberty (N), Tricia Notermann (N), Pederson. 3B - Kianna Garza (NE). Multiple hits - Kendall Cornick (N) 2, Notermann 2, Huberty 2, Powers 2. Multiple RBIs - Allison Scott (N) 2.

NIACC 4, Northeast CC 0

Northeast CC 000 000 0 - 0 5 0

NIACC 011 011 x - 4 10 0

Lindsey Kvidera (0K, 0BB, 1HBP) and Grovijohn. Sara Steinman (5K, 1BB) and Brittany Florea. 2B - Katie LaBuda (N), Scott, Florea. Multiple hits - Runge 2, Ashley Gilsdorf (NE) 2, LaBuda 2, Notermann 2, Steinman 2.