NORTHEAST SPLITS COMPETITIVE SEASON-OPENING SERIES WITH HESSTON COLLEGE

HESSTON, Kan. – The Northeast Community College softball team made their way down to Hesston, Kansas to battle with Hesston College in their first four-game set of the season. The Hawks took games one and two on Saturday before the Larks came out on top in games three and four on Sunday.

The Hawks (2-2) had 13 hits in the first battle Saturday behind a huge four-for-five performance from Alexis Folks (Arvada, Colo.). Three seventh-inning runs were enough to power Northeast past Hesston to secure their first win of the season.

Tara Koch (Norfolk, Neb.) tossed a complete game in the second bout of the day while holding the Larks to just three runs on the scoreboard. Josie Knust (Plattsmouth, Neb.) blasted her first home run of the season to give the Hawks a sweep of the day.

Mia Eickhoff (Redondo Beach, Calif.) launched her second homer in as many days in Game 3 with a monstrous homer that cleared the fence by a good margin. The matchup was tight throughout until Hesston scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Abby Balfour (Nebraska City, Neb.) took a bases-loaded walk in the top of the seventh inning of Game 4 to tie the score at one before the Larks walked-off the duel in the bottom of the inning. Tara Koch stayed in the circle for her second complete game of the weekend as she only gave up two runs in the showdown.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Alexis Folks (Arvada, Colo.): 4-5, BB

Makynzie Loftus (Gillette, Wyo.): 3-4, 3 RBI, R

Mia Eickhoff (Redondo Beach, Calif.): 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R

Emilee Spitz (Columbus, Neb.): 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, K

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Abby Balfour (Nebraska City, Neb.): 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R

Josie Knust (Plattsmouth, Neb.): 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB

Tara Koch (Norfolk, Neb.): 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 K

STAT SHEET GAME 3:

Mia Eickhoff (Redondo Beach, Calif.): 1-2, HR, 2 RBI, R

Alexis Folks (Arvada, Colo.): 2-3, BB

Emilee Spitz (Columbus, Neb.): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 K

STAT SHEET GAME 4:

Abby Balfour (Nebraska City, Neb.): 0-2, RBI, 2 BB

Makynzie Loftus (Gillette, Wyo.): 1-3, 2B, R

Tara Koch (Norfolk, Neb.): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 5 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head softball coach Iris Woodhead's overall thoughts on how the weekend played out:

"Pleased with the weekend," Woodhead said. "Sunday did not go our way. We had good team at-bats Saturday and it showed with the amount of hits that we had. We put ourselves in position to win four games this weekend. We had the bases loaded late in both games Sunday, but it just didn't fall our way. Overall, I'm pleased with this start."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will travel to Central Community College to compete at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Saturday in Columbus, Nebraska.

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