IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- Southeastern CC scored five unearned runs in the top of the 8th inning, then held on to defeat Ellsworth, 12-10, to complete a doubleheader sweep of the Panthers on Thursday. The visiting Blackhawks won the opener, 4-1.
ECC's only run in game one came on Gintare Paskocimaite's home run in the 4th inning. That was one of only three hits for the Panthers -- Paskocimaite also had a single and Meghan Danielson singled. Southeastern broke on top with two runs in the 2nd inning and added single runs in the 5th and 7th. Delaney Vetter went the distance in the circle for ECC, allowing six hits and six walks with six Ks.
Ellsworth miscues in the field in the second game hurt the Panthers' chances to gain a split. Ten of SCC's 12 runs were unearned as a result of four Ellsworth errors. When the visitors broke a 7-7 deadlock in the the first extra inning -- the 8th -- all five of the runs they pushed across against Vetter were unearned. Ellsworth got three of the runs back in the bottom of the 8th but SCC shut down the rally and completed the sweep. Gwen Hovorka homered twice for the Panthers and also doubled. Ally Sparks went 4-for-5 with two singles and two doubles. Kaysee Dale, Chelsea Buck and Kailey Becker all had two-hit games and Buck collected two RBIs. The other ECC hits were by Paskocimaite, Mya Mathes, Maggie Braniff, Chloe Roberts and Danielson. Cheyanne Collins started and threw four innings, Grace Gordon pitched one inning in relief in her first pitching appearance of the spring, and Vetter deserved a better fate, going the final three innings. She allowed just two hits in her relief role and fanned seven, but the unearned runs were crucial.
The Panthers are set to take on Southwestern CC in a four-game series at home this weekend.