DARLINGTON — The Iowa–Grant softball team bounced back from its first conference loss of the season with a dominating 11–1 five-inning victory at Darlington Monday afternoon.
The Panthers (7–4, 6–1 SWAL) made quick work of the host Redbirds (0–8, 0–6) to beat the rain and pick up their sixth Southwest Wisconsin Activities League victory.
With the win, I–G grabbed a half-game lead in the SWAL standings over Mineral Point (7–2, 5–1) and Cuba City (7–4, 5–1), which beat the Panthers 7–5 Thursday afternoon.
Senior Lexi Busse went 2-for-2 with a double, three RBI and two walks to lead the Panthers.
Juniors Maci Stevens (2-for-4) and Annie Spurley (2-for-3) each had a pair of hits and drove in a run, and senior Kylie Cutts walked three times, stole three bases, had a single and scored a pair of runs.
Sophomore Mya McCarthy (6–3) allowed just one unearned run and one hit in the five-inning victory, her sixth of the year. She struck out nine and walked three.
Cuba City scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning to hand I–G its first conference loss on Thursday.
The Panthers scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4–2 lead, but the Cubans tied the game with two in the sixth.
Courtney Busch walked and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth, but I–G retied the game on an RBI double by Grace Kite in the bottom of the inning.
Cuba City 7, Iowa–Grant 5
(from Thursday, April 18 @ Cobb)
Cuba City 010 102 012 — 7 10 5
Iowa–Grant 000 040 010 — 5 9 3
Leading hitters — CC: Jayden Reese 2x5, Courtney Busch 2x3, Schmitt 3x4; IG: Grace Kite 2x4, Annie Spurley 2x3, Mya McCarthy 2x4. 2B — CC: Reese; IG: Kite. HR — CC: Busch, McCarthy.
W — Delanee Ryan (9IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 7K, 1BB). L — Mya McCarthy (5–3, 9IP, 10H, 7R, 3ER, 9K, 2BB).
Iowa–Grant 11, Darlington 1
(from Monday, April 22 @ Darlington)
Iowa–Grant 321 05 — 11 7 1
Darlington 000 10 — 1 1 4
Leading hitters — IG: Maci Stevens 2x4, Lexi Busse 2x2, Annie Spurley 2x3. 2B — IG: Busse..
W — Mya McCarthy (6–3, 5IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 9K, 3BB). L — Alyssa Tuescher (2.1IP, 4H, 5R, 2ER, 2K, 2BB).
