Knights Softball drops two on first day of Iowa tourney
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
North Platte Community College | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
|
North Iowa Area Community College | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | X | 17 | 10 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Illinois Central College | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
|
North Platte Community College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
North Platte Community College Knights Softball had a challenging start to the first day of the Southeastern Softball Turf Tournament in West Burlington, Iowa on Friday.
The Knights fell to the North Iowa Area Community College Trojans 17-4 then to the Illinois Central College Cougars 8-3.
NPCC watched the first game slip away early as the Trojans scored two doubles in the first inning and followed that up with six runs in the second inning.
Knights' pitcher Angelina Lockhart allowed 12 hits and 17 runs over four innings, striking out three. Taelyn Dakamas, Elena Montoya, Paige Scott, Nancy Martinez and Lili Kukučková each managed one hit in the game.
North Platte fell behind early in the second game as well. Illinois Central scored two doubles and a single in the first inning.
The Knights notched a three-run offensive onslaught in the fifth inning led by Dakamas and Kelsey Woodhouse both of whom sent runners across the plate with RBIs.
Sasha Strandberg led things off in the pitcher's circle for North Platte. She surrendered eight runs on seven hits over four innings, striking out three and walking one. Dakamas threw three innings out of the bullpen.
Montoya went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Knights in hits.
"Two weeks of canceled and postponed games deflated the momentum we had after playing the first of the month," said Janelle Higgins, NPCC head softball coach. "We came out on cruise control in both games today and got too deep to dig out and get wins. We need to adjust offensively and use that excitement to fuel our defense. Tomorrow is a new day and opportunity to be better and get wins. We can do it."
NPCC is now 1-3 on the season.
The tournament will continue throughout the weekend. The Knights play next at 5 p.m. Saturday against Rock Valley College. That will be followed by a game against Kankakee Community College at 7 p.m.
The most up-to-date information about NPCC athletics can be found on the Knights Facebook and Twitter accounts and online at npccknights.com.