NEVADA — For the second straight night, the Prairie City-Monroe softball team put together a complete effort at the plate on Wednesday.
The Mustangs cranked out 12 hits, senior Abby Waddell blasted a grand slam and PCM routed Nevada, 12-3, to lock up at least a tie for second place in the Heart of Iowa Conference.
PCM plated two runs in the third inning to grab a lead and never trailed again. The Mustangs improved to 16-11 on the season.
The 12-3 conference record is currently second in the HOIC. PCM will finish second behind Collins-Maxwell/Baxter if it wins at North Polk in the regular season finale on Friday night.
Wednesday’s game against Nevada (3-19 overall, 1-13 in the HOIC) was delayed at the start by weather. It was worth the wait for the Mustangs. Eight of the nine players in the lineup had at least one hit and all nine batters reached base at least once.
PCM broke open the game with a five-run fourth and then pulled ahead even further with a four-run seventh.
Waddell’s grand slam was one of three hits for the senior. She scored twice and drove in four runs. The home run was Waddell’s second of the season.
Senior Katie Vande Wall had two hits, two runs, two RBIs and a walk and senior Jaiden Rogers hit her first home run of the season, had two hits, scored twice and had two RBIs.
Freshman Regan Freland was the in the lineup to replace senior Kayla Jennings, who is out of town to attend her brother’s military graduation. Freland had two hits, two runs, two RBIs and a stolen base in the win.
Senior Jayci Vos had one hit, walked once and scored twice, junior Madison Foster had one hit and two RBIs and seniors Brooke Nicholson and Courtney Bridges both went 1-for-4. Nicholson had an RBI and sophomore Anna Shaver was hit by a pitch and scored a run.
Sophomore Maya Hegwood (4-3) earned the win in the circle, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with three walks.
There were 20 hits in the game and neither team struck out at the plate.
PCM’s regular season finale against North Polk (16-11, 10-4) starts at 7 p.m. Friday in Alleman.