CHOPLIN, BANDT AND MARKER ALL HOMER FOR HAWKS DURING WEEKEND CONTESTS

BOONE, Iowa – The Northeast Community College softball team traveled to Waterloo, Iowa and Boone, Iowa for matchups with Hawkeye Community College Saturday and No. 10 Des Moines Area Community College Sunday. The Hawks dropped the four showdowns by final scores of 12-9, 12-1, 9-1 and 11-2.

Northeast (3-34, 0-22 ICCAC) took on the RedTails for the first time in program history Saturday and led until the fifth inning of Game 1. Kelsey Choplin (Gibbon, Neb.) and Talia Bandt (Grand Island, Neb.) both homered in the showdown as the Hawks lost the lead in the fifth inning before rallying back for five runs in the sixth frame. Northeast led 9-8 entering the seventh inning before Hawkeye walked-off the Hawks in their half of the inning.

Run production wasn't as strong for the Hawks through the final three battles, but Lauren Marker (Kearney, Neb.) homered in Game 2 against the Bears for the third home run of the weekend for Northeast.

STAT SHEET GAME 1 AGAINST HAWKEYE:

Amanda Quintana-Gonzales (Denver, Colo.): 3-4, 3 RBI

Kelsey Choplin (Gibbon, Neb.): 1-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Talia Bandt (Grand Island, Neb.): 1-4, HR, R, RBI

STAT SHEET GAME 2 AGAINST HAWKEYE:

Lauren Lucero (Berthoud, Colo.): 2-2

Ahdriana Medrano (Grand Island, Neb.): 1-2, R

STAT SHEET GAME 1 AGAINST DMACC:

Ahdriana Medrano (Grand Island, Neb.): 1-2, RBI, BB

Malika Monroe (Valentine, Neb.): 1-2, R

STAT SHEET GAME 2 AGAINST DMACC:

Lauren Marker (Kearney, Neb.): 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI

Ahdriana Medrano (Grand Island, Neb.): 1-2, R, BB

Malika Monroe (Valentine, Neb.): 1-2

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Softball Coach Erin Sharpe on the four ballgames overall:

"There were some good moments," Sharpe said. "Our bats seem to be getting better, but need to be more consistent throughout the games. I'm also happy with the endless fight the girls keep providing."

Sharpe on the mindset she wants her squad to have entering the last week of the regular season:

"Our approach to the final week needs to be to win each inning," Sharpe said. "By focusing on each game as seven small games, I think we will be more locked in and will compete more."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will be back at home for a battle with Iowa Lakes Community College beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday in a doubleheader at Ta-Ha Zouka Park in Norfolk.

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