NIACC softball team falls to Ellsworth, 10-9

By JEREMY KOENIGS, Of The Globe Gazette

MASON CITY — The NIACC softball team battled to the end against Ellsworth on Monday.

NIACC erased a 5-0 deficit but came up just short, stranding the tying run on second base in a 10-9 loss to Ellsworth in the opener before the second game was suspended after the completion of the third inning due to darkness with the score tied 5-5.

"We just had some bad luck," NIACC coach Christi Weiser said. "Sometimes you have those days."

The Lady Trojans (11-16, 2-7) spotted Ellsworth (2-26, 1-8) five runs, including four runs in the third inning as they found themselves in hole early.

However, NIACC sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, taking advantage of three walks, a hit batter and two errors by the Panthers.

"The thing I love about this group is they keep battling," Weiser said. "We made some great adjustments at the plate and started getting quality at-bats. We don't talk about any other offensive statistic other than quality at-bats and we found a way to push across eight runs with quality at-bats."

Becca Huberty started the comeback with a 2-run home run and added a single to lead off the bottom of the seventh before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Elise Powers to cut Ellsworth's lead to 10-9.

"The way Becca squared the ball up in her first at-bat I felt she was going to get one," Weiser said of Huberty's home run. "She stayed within herself. She had another great day at the plate for us."

While Huberty led NIACC offensively in the opener, Brianna Schaefer finished with four hits and six RBIs – including a pair of home runs – to lead Ellsworth's 17-hit performance in the opener.

Schaefer's grand slam in the top of the fifth inning off the glove of NIACC's Kendall Cornick in center field gave the Panthers a 9-8 lead.

"That's happened three times this year," Weiser said. "You can't ask for a better play right there. Kendall was able to get to a ball that I thought she wasn't going to get to. She beat herself up but if she's able to turn her elbow the other way that's a great catch. It's just the way it works sometimes."

In the nightcap, Ellsworth received solo home runs from Schaefer and Bradi Yost in the top of first inning before NIACC cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning.

Jami Johnson added a solo home run in the top of the second while Yost hit a 2-run home run in the top of the third to give Ellsworth a 5-1 lead before NIACC put up another big inning, scoring four times on one hit in the bottom of the third before the game was suspended due to darkness.

"We were able to put pressure on their defense and force them to make mistakes," Weiser said. "It stinks that we ran out of daylight when we started getting momentum but we'll come back and play another day."

ELLSWORTH 10, NIACC 9

Ellsworth 004 141 0 – 10 17 2

NIACC 000 800 1 – 9 5 3

Amanda Staudt (0K, 2BB), Ashton Hoffman (4) (0K, 3BB, 1HBP), Kayla Brady (4) (1K, 1BB), Bradi Yost (6) (0K, 0BB) and Sydney Vrban. Becca Huberty (1K, 3BB, 1HBP), Katie LaBuda (5) (4K, 0BB), Lexy Pederson (7) (2K, 1BB) and Brittany Florea. W – Brady. L – LaBuda. SV – Yost. HR – Brianna Schaefer (E) 2, Huberty. 3B – Jenna Boardman (E). 2B – Danielle Williams (E), Boardman. Multiple hits – Schaefer 4, Boardman 2, Yost 2, Williams 2, Sarae Evans (E) 2, Huberty 2. Multiple RBIs – Schaefer 6, Huberty 2.

ELLSWORTH 5, NIACC 5 (SUSP.)

Ellsworth 212 – 5 5 3

NIACC 104– 5 3 1

Yost (3K, 2BB, 1HBP) and Vrban. Sara Steinman (3K, 0BB) and Florea. HR – Yost 2, Schaefer, Jami Johnson (E). 2B – Allison Scott (N). Multiple hits – Yost 2. Multiple RBIs – Yost 3.