Lady Hounds take two from Chiefs

PCC SPORTS

KEOKUK - Fort Madison put up 10 runs in a third-inning onslaught at Keokuk to down the Chiefs 16-1 in the second game of a doubleheader to move to 8-7 on the year.

The Bloodhounds won in the opener in a nail-biter, nine-inning affair to earn the sweep 8-7.

With two outs and none on in the top of the ninth in the Game 1, Logan Johnson drew a walk and then came all the way around to score on Erika Kruse's single to right. The Chiefs got caught on a couple throwing errors allowing Johnson to come around for the score and an 8-7 lead.

Kruse would advance to third on the throwing errors and Lexi Whaley followed with a double to left. Kruse had to hold at third with the ball in the area, and a strike out stranded the two base runners.

With Kruse on the mound, Keokuk's Ada Wood drew a walk to start the bottom of the ninth. After a pop out to short, Hayley Davis walked to put two runners on with one out. Both runners would advance on a wild pitch before Kruse got the second out on a strike out. Suzie Whitaker drew another walk on five pitches to load the bases with two outs, but another pop out to short ended the game.

Kruse went all nine innings giving up six hits and seven runs, six earned while striking out 11 and walking 11. She also homered for the sixth time going 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. Lexi Whaley and Elizabeth Tanner both homered in the game as well.

Keokuk opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Issabelle Evans. The Chiefs would add three in the bottom of the third on singles from Ava Wood and Evans.

Then Tanner belted a two-run homer with an out in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-3. Logan Johnson would tie things up with an RBI single with two outs. Keokuk responded with two runs in the fifth to take the lead at 6-4.

Tanner would double to center with no outs scoring Whaley to cut the lead to 6-5 after six. The Hounds gave up another run in the top of the seventh for a 7-5 lead. Fort Madison would tie things up in the seventh when Kruse hit a 2-run homer on a line drive to left field.

Neither team would score in the 8th setting up the Lady Hounds 9th inning drama.

Fort Madison rolled in Game 2 putting up 10 runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth to set the 4-inning mercy rule.

Lauryn Helmick threw all four innings giving up just one run earned on five hits while striking out two. Logan Johnson went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI and two runs scored in the win. Whaley homered again her second of the year and the night going 2-for-3 with 4 RBI and a run scored. McKenna Cashman also had a two-hit game for the Hounds.

The Lady Hounds move to 8-7 on the year, but stand at a nice 7-1 in Southeast Conference play just a half game behind Burlington at 7-0 for the conference lead.

Fort Madison dropped two to Davenport West at home Wednesday 5-3 and 8-0. Davenport West put up two runs in the top of the ninth in the opener to steal the win after the Bloodhounds put up two in the bottom of the fourth to tie things up at 3 all.

The Hounds travel to Davenport West on Saturday for a day tournament.