Softball team enters regional on hot streak

FORT DODGE – The 11th-ranked Kirkwood softball team is streaking into the regional playoffs.

The Eagles swept their four-game series at Iowa Central this weekend and will take an 11-game winning streak into the regional tournament that begins Friday at Kirkwood.

Kirkwood swept Iowa Central 4-2 and 16-7 on Friday, then swept the Tritons again 6-2 and 10-3 on Saturday.

Kori Wedeking (25-3, 1.70) and Payton Akers (17-4, 2.80) won both of their games in Fort Dodge. Wedeking leads the nation with 25 victories and Akers ranks sixth with 17.

The Eagles belted nine home runs in the four-game series. Reagan Schutte hit a pair of homers while Olivia Richards, Sydney Albaugh, Randyn Carter, Peggy Klingler, Austyn Crees, Angie Gorkow and Brooke Kilburg also connected. Richards socked a grand slam.

Kirkwood raised its records to 47-10 overall and 36-6 in the conference. The Eagles were scheduled to finish the regular season at Marshalltown Wednesday, but that doubleheader has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues at Marshalltown.

DMACC is 33-5 in the conference with a final doubleheader on Wednesday. The Bears currently lead the Eagles by percentage points, .868 to .857, for first place. DMACC and Kirkwood will host separate regional tournaments regardless of who wins the league title and would not face each other again until the national tournament.