No. 22 Trojans open home season Wednesday
MASON CITY - The No. 22 NIACC softball team opens its home season Wednesday with an ICCAC doubleheader against Northeast Iowa CC on the NIACC campus.
The first game is slated to start at 2 p.m. with the second game to follow at 4 p.m.
NIACC (19-10 overall, 4-2 in the ICCAC) is coming off a twinbill sweep of Northeast CC on Sunday in Norfolk, Neb. The Trojans won 11-2 and 10-2, both in five innings.
In the first game against the Hawks on Sunday, NIACC's freshman left-hander Chloe Thurlby (11-6) scattered five hits and allowed two runs (both earned) with nine strikeouts and on walk. She allowed solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Thurlby has 115 strikeouts and 24 walks in 97 2/3 innings pitched. She has a 2.58 earned run average. The 115 strikeouts by Thurlby is tied for 12th on the school's all-time single-season strikeout list.
NIACC pounded out 14 hits to score its 11 runs in the opener against Northeast CC on Sunday. The Trojans' Ally Wall was 3 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
The Trojans' Makayla Wirkus, Katie Riesselman and Addie Rhoads all had two hits. Riseelmand and Mya Bunkers homered for the Trojans.
In the second game on Sunday, NIACC's Anna Fairchild (4-0) gained the win in the circle. She allowed two runs on six hits with one strikeout and now walks in four innings of work.
NIACC collected 16 hits, including four doubles from Wall, Riesselman, Bunkers and Kennedi McGarvey, one triple from Wirkus and one home run from Wall.
Wall was 3 fo4 5 with five RBIs. Wirkus was 3 for 4 and scored three runs from her leadoff position in the batting order.
Making history
Ally Wall and Mya Bunkers have joined the NIACC softball team's 100-hit club and Makayla Wirkus is one hit away from joining the exclusive club.
Wall ranks eighth on the school's career hit list with 114 career hits and Bunkers is tied for 15th with 102 career hits. Wirkus sits at 99 career hits and is one hit shy of becoming the 19th member of NIACC's 100-hit club.
Power Ally
Ally Wall ranks third on NIACC's career home run list with 28. Wall hit 21 home runs last season and has seven this season.
Katy Olive (2023-24) is NIACC's home run queen with 41 home runs. Emily Jones (2023-24) ranks second on the career list with 31 home runs.
Wall also ranks third on the school's career RBI list with 98. Jones is the school's all-time leader in RBIs with 122 and Olive ranks second with 122.
Mya Bunkers is tied for fifth on the school's career home run list with 24.
Wonderful Wirkus
Makayla Wirkus ranks third on the school's career walks list with 51 and ranks sixth on the school's career doubles list with 26.
Laken Lienhard (2021-23) is the school's all-time walks leader with 57 and Olive ranks second with 54.
Wirkus also ranks sixth on the school's career doubles list with 26.
