North Mahaska scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to force extra innings but a single run in the bottom of the ninth allowed English Valleys to take a 9-8 South Iowa Cedar League softball win. The teams see-sawed throughout the game before EV took an 8-4 lead after five innings.
North Mahaska tallied two runs in the top of the sixth and other two in the seventh. Jocelyn Pinkerton had a strong bat with a homerun and Kaylia Shipman rapped a single and triple to drive in two runs for North Mahaska. Regan Grewe hit a pair of singles with an RBI and stole two of the team’s five stolen bases. Kayla Readshaw added an RBI single.
Delaney Hall was the difference for English Valleys. She hit two singles, a double and homerun to drive in two runs. Kennedy Axmear and Imigyn Stratton each hit two singles to drive in two runs.
Grewe took the loss pitching in relief. She went 3 1/3 innings allowing a run on four hits and struck out one. Pinkerton was the starter and yielded eight runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts.
Axmear went the distance for the Bears with seven hits, two walks and 14 strikeouts.
North Mahaska hosts No. 2 Sigourney Wednesday and Montezuma on Friday.