Des Moines Lincoln’s bats were ready right off the bat.
The Railsplitters scored a combined seven runs in the first innings of Wednesday’s Iowa Alliance Conference doubleheader against Marshalltown, dealing the Bobcats losses of 5-2 and 10-1 on the strength of those fast starts.
Marshalltown (2-3) hung around to make something out of the first game, fighting back to within 4-2 before eventually running out of time.
The Bobcats tried to spark a comeback with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, helped along by a Lincoln error. Ava Kusserow reached second base with one out before advancing on Kate Sandvick’s sacrifice bunt. Gianna Baune followed with an RBI double and Emma Stupp slapped a run-scoring single to cut Lincoln’s advantage to 4-2.
Briley Danielson’s leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh went for naught as the Bobcats fell in the opener, 5-2.
Karsyn Price pitched well for the Bobcats, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Her counterpart — CJ Risius — was a little bit better. Risius struck out 13 and walked one, scattering four hits and those two unearned runs.
Kylie Phillips was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs to lead Lincoln offensively.
Sandvick and Baune both doubled, while Stupp and Danielson had singles for the MHS bats.
“In game one I liked how we competed,” said MHS head coach Jason Bowers. “We had a bad first inning that got us behind, and it took the girls to the fifth inning and I could sense they started to believe. That’s something I didn’t see much of last year and I’m seeing it more this year.
“Lincoln run-ruled us twice last year so you can sense they’re starting to believe a little bit. I just need it to be more consistent.”
Karsyn Price pitched well for the Bobcats, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Her counterpart — CJ Risius — was a little bit better. Risius struck out 13 and walked one, scattering four hits and those two unearned runs.
Kylie Phillips was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs to lead Lincoln offensively.
Sandvick and Baune both doubled, while Stupp and Danielson had singles for the MHS bats.
“In game one I liked how we competed,” said MHS head coach Jason Bowers. “We had a bad first inning that got us behind, and it took the girls to the fifth inning and I could sense they started to believe. That’s something I didn’t see much of last year and I’m seeing it more this year.
“Lincoln run-ruled us twice last year so you can sense they’re starting to believe a little bit. I just need it to be more consistent.”
Des Moines Lincoln (4-2) again got it going early in game two, getting four runs off four hits against Danielson to take a 4-0 lead. Marisa Newhouse and Meadow Dahlhauser singled before Melanie Haltom tripled and Risius homered.
Risius homered again later in the game to give the Railsplitters an 8-1 lead as the Lincoln’s advantage snowballed on the Bobcats.
Lincoln scored in five of seven at-bats, while Marshalltown’s lone run came in the bottom of the first. Sandvick singled to right and advanced to third when the ball slipped under the right fielder’s glove. Baune walked and stole second before Stupp advanced both baserunners with a fly ball to center field. Baune was later picked off at third to help Lincoln squash the rally.
Danielson had two of Marshalltown’s remaining three hits while Baune accounted for the other, but the Bobcats never advanced past second base for the rest of the game.
Sarah Vrba allowed one walk while striking out four in the win for the Rails. Danielson allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits and four walks while striking out two.
Risius finished 3-for-3 with two homers and three RBIs to lead Lincoln.
“I said before these games I wanted the girls to believe, even before we took the field tonight, that we can compete,” Bowers said. “Just compete every pitch, give our best effort and energy on every pitch and let it happen how it happens.”
The Bobcats are back at home tonight, hosting Grinnell for a JV/varsity doubleheader with varsity set to start at 7 p.m.