COLLINS After starting the season 2-2, the Collins-Maxwell\/Baxter softball team appears to be hitting its stride. <\/p>\n
The Class 2A No. 4 Raiders won their sixth straight game following a 7-4 victory over 3A No. 12 North Polk during Heart of Iowa Conference play Monday. <\/p>\n
The Raiders led 7-1 after four innings before holding off a late Comet rally. <\/p>\n
Freshman Mikayla Houge improved to 5-0 in the circle. She allowed four runs on three hits, two walks and two hit batters. She also fanned six. North Polk scored all four of its runs on two home runs. <\/p>\n
The Raiders (8-2 overall, 5-1 in the HOIC) scored two runs in the first inning. Senior Megan Ritter reached on an error and then junior Katie Camp walked. Both runners moved up a base on a Houge sacrifice bunt. <\/p>\n
Senior Abbey Kahler drove in Ritter with an RBI groundout, and then senior Mikayla Eslinger made it 2-0 with an RBI double. <\/p>\n
North Polk, which has lost three straight, pulled within a run in the top of the second when Sophie Swygman hit a solo home run. <\/p>\n
CMB extended its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the second. <\/p>\n
Freshman Holly Jessen got a lead-off single. Ritter and Camp both drew two-out walks. Houge drove in two runs with an infield single after Ritter scored from second base. Kahler then drove in two more runs with a two-out double. <\/p>\n
Ritter went back to work in the fourth inning. She walked with two outs, stole second and third and then scored on an error. <\/p>\n
Rebecca Rimathe blasted a three-run homer in the sixth to pull North Polk (7-4, 5-1) within 7-4. Houge was able to shut the door with two groundouts and a strikeout in the seventh. <\/p>\n
Houge went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a sacrifice. Sophomore Hannah Caple had two hits, including a double off the fence. <\/p>\n
Kahler had one hit and three RBIs, Eslinger had an RBI double and Holly Jessen singled and scored a run. <\/p>\n
Ritter impacted the game without getting a hit. She walked twice, stole three bases and scored three runs. Camp had two walks and scored twice. <\/p>\n
CMB plays BCLUW in a non-conference game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Conrad. <\/p>\n
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Raiders down Comets in battle of ranked teams - Newton Daily News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" COLLINS After starting the season 2-2, the Collins-Maxwell\/Baxter softball team appears to be hitting its stride. Continue reading