North Mahaska used two big innings and a five-hit performance by Olivia Ridgeway to take a 10-7 South Iowa Cedar League softball win Friday. The Warhawks tallied five runs in the second inning and four in the sixth. The victory keeps the Warhawks in the hunt for the conference crown.
Ridgeway swatted five hits in five at bats, including a first inning triple. She also singled in the second, fourth inning, and sixth innings. She drove in one run.
North Mahaska held the lead briefly when a single by Maddie Doonan drove in Ridgeway in the top of the first.
Iowa Valley Varsity Tigers captured the lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the first after Lydia Kriegel homered to right field, Emma Von Lienen singled down the right field line, and North Mahaska committed an error, each scoring one run.
The Warhawks the lead for good in the top of the second, scoring five runs on five hits to take the lead, 6-3. The biggest blow in the inning was a double by Doonan that drove in two.
Four more Warhawks runs crossed the plate in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 10-5. Kaylia Shipman singled, scoring one run, and Regan Grewe homered to right field, scoring three runs.
Iowa Valley manufactured a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning but could gain no more.
Grewe earned the win for North Mahaska. She gave up 12 hits and seven runs over seven innings, striking out four and walking none. Lydia Kriegel took the loss for Iowa Valley. She gave up 10 runs on 18 hits, striking out six and walking one.
North Mahaska slugged 18 hits in the game. Grewe and Doonan each drove in three runs. Cali Sampson, Kylie VanWeelden, Lydia Howell, and Kayla Readshaw each collected multiple hits. Shipman stole two bases.
Iowa Valley was led at the plate by Jasmine Slaymaker, Skyler Hoyt, Kriegel, Maeci Marshall, and Olivia Grant who each collected two hits. Slaymaker led Iowa Valley with three RBI.
North Mahaska improves to 12-2 on the season and hosts BGM Monday. They go to Twin Cedars for a doubleheader Tuesday, then host Keota on Wednesday. They host No. 6 Lynnville-Sully on Thursday and close out the six-game schedule on Friday hosting HLV/Tri-County.