HAWKS SWEEP PANTHERS BEHIND MONROE’S GRAND SLAM

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College softball team welcomed Ellsworth Community College to Ta-Ha-Zouka Park Friday for a doubleheader. The Hawks took down the Panthers in both games by final scores of 10-9 and 9-0 to take their first ICCAC series of the season.

Northeast (14-15, 2-2 ICCAC) fell behind 5-0 in Game 1 of the two matchups but rallied all the way back as 13 hits and doubles by Bailee Ahlemeyer (Cambridge, Neb.), Lauren Marker (Kearney, Neb.) and Rachel Hobbs (Hoskins, Neb.) helped the Hawks overcome the early deficit. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Amy Lauby (Fairmont, Neb.) grounded into a fielder's choice while Talia Bandt (Grand Island, Neb.) came in to score to secure the walk-off victory.

Isabel Raburn (Holdrege, Neb.) was in the circle in Game 2 for Northeast and was again lights out as she struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit during her outing. Malika Monroe (Valentine, Neb.) put the Hawks on top for good early with a grand slam in the first inning as Northeast completed the sweep of Ellsworth with doubleheaders against two ranked squads on the horizon next week.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Karlee Seitz (Central City, Neb.): 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI

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

Rachel Hobbs (Hoskins, Neb.): 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 9 K

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Malika Monroe (Valentine, Neb.): 2-3, HR, R, 6 RBI

Allie Funderburk (Starke, Fla.): 1-1, R, 2 RBI

Isabel Raburn (Holdrege, Neb.): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 7 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Softball Coach Erin Sharpe on the Game 1 comeback and the day as a whole:

"They began to play for each other and that's when we started to come back," Sharpe said. "They came out with an agenda today. They had a winning mindset."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will host No. 19 Iowa Central Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park in Norfolk.

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