Softball team cruises to pair of wins

The Kirkwood softball team cruised to a pair of victories Tuesday at their home field, and Coach Frese got his 100th win at Kirkwood! 

The seventh-ranked Eagles defeated NIACC, 12-1 and 16-3, in lopsided ICCAC ballgames.

Both games were stopped after 4 1/2 innings due to the mercy rule.

Kirkwood raised its records to 36-9 overall and 25-5 in the league. The Eagles are locked in a tight battle for the conference title with DMACC, which is 24-4.

Sydney Albaugh belted her 18th home run in the 12-1 victory in Game 1. Emilee Linder also hit a homer.

Albaugh finished 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs. Randyn Carter was also 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Linder had two RBIs. Reagan Schutte and Alli Ferrari scored twice.

Kori Wedeking (20-2, 1.75 ERA) pitched a complete game, allowing one run on one hit with eight strikeouts. She leads the nation with 20 wins.

Austyn Crees went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and four RBIs in the 16-3 victory in Game 2. Angie Gorkow was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBIs. Albaugh drove in three runs and now has 59 for the season. 

Olivia Richards, Peggy Klingler, and Jessie Frasher had two hits. Linder, Crees, Gorkow, Haley Jarrett, Jessie Frasher, and Carter scored twice.

Payton Akers (11-4) struck out 10 batters in four innings.