By Marissa VanWingen, The Times-Citizen
Fort Dodge, IA –Ellsworth Community College softball went 1-2 in the double elimination Region XI-B Tournament. No. 12 Kirkwood Community College were champions of the B side while fourth-ranked DMACC (53-5) won the A bracket.
The Panthers (18-33) gave 14th-ranked Iowa Central Community College a tussle in the first round, falling 4-0, scoring one in the second inning and three in the fifth. ECC's offense just struggled getting on base with just one hit. The lone knock was a single by Julissia Arias.
The Tritons (47-10) tagged Angelica Agro for four hits, one of which was a home run. Agro walked six batters to help ICCC's offense.
In a must win game against Northeast Community College (21-36), the Panthers knocked the ball around and recorded the 8-6 victory – coming from behind twice. The Hawks led 2-0 until the third with ECC scoring three runs and then went on top again 6-4 before a three-run sixth gave the Panthers the lead they would hold the rest of the contest.
The bats were swinging with 12 hits by ECC, five extra base knocks. Ella Garstang was 4-4 at the dish with a triple and two runs batted in. Emmalee Bell was 2-4 with a pair of doubles. Alli Paulsen was also 2-4 with a two-bagger and Avery Somers hit the squad's 11th home run of the season.
Hailey Sheaffer got the start and went 4.1 innings with eight hits, six runs and a walk before Agro came in for the win.
That set up a must win for both the Panthers and the Eagles (48-15). Kirkwood picked up the 12-4 victory to send ECC home. The Eagles scored three runs in both the first and second innings before the Panthers got on the board in the third. They cut the deficit to two (6-4) in the fourth before Kirkwood put up a six spot in the fourth to pull away.
Arias hit a three RBI homer in the fourth frame and was the lone knock for the Panthers.
ECC used three pitchers with Sheaffer taking the loss with 1.1 innings pitched. Peytin Clemensen started the game and Agro ended it.
For more Times-Citizen coverage of Ellsworth athletics: https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc
