Trojans stay alive at regional tournament
- NIACC falls to DMACC, tops Iowa Lakes
- Wall, Wirkus homer
- Trojans face Bears in Sunday's regional title game
BOONE - The No. 23 NIACC softball team stayed alive Saturday at the NJCAA Region 11-A tournament on the DMACC campus.
Fourth-seed NIACC (34-22) dropped a 2-1 decision to top-seed DMACC in a second round contest. The Trojans stayed alive in the regional tournament with a 8-2 win over fifth-seed Iowa Lakes in an elimination game.
NIACC now plays No. 5 DMACC (52-5) in the regional title game at noon on Sunday. If NIACC wins the first game, there will be a winner-take-all game at 2 p.m.
The winner of the NJCAA Region 11-A tournament hosts the NJCAA Region 13 champion in the NJCAA Northwest Plains-B District Tournament May 9-10 in a best of three series. The winner of the district tournament qualifies for the NJCAA Division II national tournament set for May 19-24 in Oxford, Ala.
In the Trojans' win over Iowa Lakes, freshman Makayla Wirkus powered the Trojan offense with a three-run home run - her 10th of the season. Freshman Mya Bunkers was 2 for 4, including a double.
The Trojans also received hits and RBIs from Ally Wall and Katie Riesselman. Ella Trenkamp, Camryn Dilla, Kaitlin Blair and Thea Mattson all had hits for the Trojans.
Sophomore right-hander Macy Kellar (16-8) gained the win in the circle for the Trojans. She allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
Kellar now has a career record of 32-13 and ranks second on the school's career win list. Jennifer Spencer is the school's career win leader with 40 in 1993-94.
Kellar also has 253 career strikeouts, which ranks third on the school's career strikeout list.
In the game against DMACC, the Bears scored both of their runs in the third inning on a home run by Macee Reiling.
Wall put the Trojans on the board with a solo home run by Wall in the sixth inning. It was Wall's 21st home run of the season.
Sophomore right-hander Izzy Sloan (16-10) was the tough-luck loser for the Trojans. She allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
With the five strikeouts, Sloan became the Trojans' career strikeout leader with 284. Sloan passed Laken Lienard, who amassed 282 strikeouts from 2021-23.
NJCAA Region 11-A tournament
At Boone
Friday's results
(Game 1) - (1) DMACC 8, (8) Hawkeye CC 4
(Game 2) - (4) NIACC 10, (5) Iowa Lakes 8
Saturday's results
(Game 3) - Iowa Lakes 6, Hawkeye CC 5 (elimination game)
(Game 4) - DMACC 2, NIACC 1
(Game 5) - NIACC 8, Iowa Lakes 2 (elimination game)
Sunday's games
Noon (Game 6) - DMACC vs. NIACC
2 p.m. - If necessary game
