Reivers Split Conference Opening Weekend

COUNCIL BLUFFS - Iowa Western Softball opened up ICCAC Conference play, splitting their weekend series with Indian Hills CC and Southeastern CC.

The Reivers (16-8) dropped both games against Indian Hills on Saturday in a pair of 1-run losses, 5-4 and 4-3.  In game one against the Warriors, IWCC found themselves down 5-1 heading into the bottom of the 7th, but clawed their way back.  Back-to-back singles from Amber Dougherty and Shay Cwelich put runners on the corners with one out. 

Kaci Miller followed with an RBI single, and then Mariah Herrera loaded the bases, reaching on an error at second base.  Sophomore Allie Cromer plated two more with a single up the middle to make it a one-run game.  Lauren Black came to the dish looking for the tying and possibly winning runs.  She ended up hitting a rocket to third base but straight into the glove of Chandler Houselog, who fired over to first base to double up the Reiver runner, ending the game.

Game two was another thriller with both teams trading runs throughout the first five innings.  Allie Cromer launched her 4th home run of the season in the first inning and followed it with a run in the 2nd to take a 2-0 lead.  Indian Hills answered in the top half of the 3rd on a two-run home run from Ava Smith.  Iowa Western promptly took back the lead in the bottom half of the inning.  The Warriors evened the game in the 5th and it remained tied after 7 innings of play.  Mary-Paige Withers struck a line drive home run in the first extra frame and that's all they needed to sweep the day, 4-3.

Sunday's doubleheader saw the Southeastern CC Blackhawks come to Council Bluffs after splitting their series 1-1 with Southwestern CC.  Like the series against Indian Hills, the Reivers fought in a one-run game but came out on the right side of the tight contest.  Sophomore Kiley Grubbs hit a two-run home run in the 4th inning and an RBI double from Herrera in the 5th gave the Reivers a 3-2 win for their first conference victory of the season.

Game two saw the Blackhawks take a commanding 8-2 lead after scoring six runs in the 4th inning.  However, Iowa Western again climbed back, scoring five runs in the bottom of the inning including a 3-run shot from Emma Hague to make it a one-run game.  

Southeastern added a run in the 6th inning but then the Reiver bats came alive.  With the game tied, two outs and the bases loaded, Kaci Miller roped a double into left center field to clear the bases and take a 12-9 lead.  Kamira Botos plated her on a single, followed by an RBI single from Herrera.  Cromer drew a walk to put runners on first and second.  Hague again came to the plate and hit a missile off of the scoreboard in left field to walk off the Blackhawks, 17-9.  

Hague's two home runs broke a 0-15 battling slump for the sophomore and her 6 RBI are the most in a game this season.  Herrera continues to lead the team in hitting, batting .463 after going 7-15 on the weekend.  Freshman Pitcher Olivia Dougherty added 13 more strikeouts to her team-leading 83 this season.

Iowa Western hits the road on Tuesday with a pair of games at Des Moines Area CC then two more on Saturday vs Southwestern CC in Creston, IA.