Central Lee girls win three in a row

BY PCC STAFF

DONNELLSON - The Central Lee girls softball team has won three in a row after dropping a doubleheader to a strong Davis County team last week.

The Lady Hawks knocked off New London in both games of a double header Thursday and then wrapped up the week with a win over Hillcrest on the road Friday.

On Friday the Hawks put up five runs in a big first inning and then relied on junior Sophie Turner who scattered just five hits over seven innings to get the win.

Central Lee's Macy Watkins would walk to lead off the Hillcrest game. Halo Arrowood would then work a single. After Meghan Hopp grounded into a fielder's choice that forced Watkins at third, the Lady Hawks would rattle off three straight doubles from Shanna Buford, Makayla Morrison and Abby Simmons to take a 4-0 lead with just one out.

An infield popout would give Hillcrest it's second out, but a grounder to third turned into an error allowing Simmons to score before another grounder ended the inning.

Central Lee would put up three more in the top of the sixth. Bailey Schwartz wore a pitch and Watkins would reach on an error. Arrowood would single to left to load the bases. Schwartz would score on a passed ball with Hopp at the plate, but Schwartz would have been driven in when Hopp laced a triple to right clearing the bases for an 8-1 Central Lee lead that would hold up until Turner closed things down in the seventh with one on.

Turner went all seven surrendering just one run, unearned in the bottom of the first inning. Arrowood was 3-of-4 on the night with a run scored. Hopp and Buford each had 2 RBI hits on the night. Morrison and Simmons had the other hits for the Hawks.

Central Lee is 11-6 overall and 6-2 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference South division behind 7-0 West Burlington. They take on Van Buren County Tuesday in a doubleheader at home. They host Lone Tree Wednesday and then face front-runner West Burlington in a single game at 7 p.m. Thursday in West Burlington.

The Hawks swept New London on Thursday 8-2 and 11-5 at home.

Turner got the win going all seven innings in game one allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out five. She also collected two hits and an RBI in the win. Schwartz had 3 RBI and a run scored, while Hopp, Buford, Morrison, and Simmons also had hits in the win. Kamryn Cox scored two runs courtesy running.

In the nightcap, Central Lee put up five runs in the first two innings for a 5-0 lead. The Tigers battled back to make it a 6-4 game in the bottom of the fifth with Hopp in the circle. But the senior would settle in and allow just one more run in the bottom of the seventh, after the Lady Hawks put up a five-spot in the top half.

Central had two outs with runners at 2nd and 3rd in the seventh when Watkins doubled to center for 2 RBI. Arrowood would bring her around with another double to left. Hopp would then single to center scoring Arrowoods' courtesy runner, and Buford would double to left scoring Hopp to make it 11-4. Morrison would get hit by a pitch and Simmons would reach on an error to load the bases again, but a pop out to the catcher ended the threat.