LE GRAND — Maria Rasmusson spun a five-hitter and the East Marshall softball team secured its first three-game win streak of the season by beating Gilbert 15-5 in five innings in Tuesday’s non-conference pairing.

Rasmusson struck out two and walked two for the win. The Mustangs (7-5) also exploded for four runs in the bottom of the first inning as well as seven runs in the fourth.

Juliana Arifi had a team-leading three hits for East Marshall. Ellen Hungerford had two doubles and drove in three runs, while Kodie Hoskey had two hits and three RBIs.

The Mustangs are back at home tonight with an NICL West Division showdown with Class 1A No. 12 AGWSR, and West Marshall visits for a league game Thursday.

North Polk knocks out East Marshall

GILMAN — North Polk’s six-run first inning foiled East Marshall’s early hopes of scoring consecutive wins as the Comets went on to topple the Mustangs 16-2 in Tuesday’s non-conference baseball contest.

East Marshall (1-8) responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, but that was all the Mustangs could muster. Zane Johnson went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead his team, while Jordan McAnulty was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Justin Ridout, Kam Hoskins and Wesley Hamor each contributed a single in the defeat.

Grant Curtis took the loss on the mound for the Mustangs, allowing 11 earned runs over four innings. He allowed 12 hits and one walk, striking out one.

East Marshall is back at home tonight, hosting AGWSR in an NICL West Division match.

Bobcat softball swept by Mason City

MASON CITY — The Marshalltown softball team took a two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh inning before Mason City rallied for a 6-5 victory, capping Monday’s CIML Iowa Conference sweep of the visiting Bobcats.

Mason City (4-6, 2-2) took the opening game, 5-1, before fighting back from behind to take the nightcap in dramatic fashion.

Marshalltown (0-9, 0-4) jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two innings, but Mason City hurler Alyssa Alert retired 13 in a row to keep the Mohawks within striking distance. Mason City’s leadoff hitter Hannah Faktor singled, Anna Lensing was hit by a pitch and Kayla Till reached on a fielder’s choice. MHS sophomore pitcher Abby Brennecke got a pop-up for the first out, but Erika Mariner followed with a two-run triple and McKenna Mentink delivered a walk-off single.

Brennecke struck out two and walked one, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits in a losing cause. MHS leadoff batter Madi Finch was 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. Erica Johnson had a two-run double and McKaylee Dawson had a two-run single as well for the Bobcats, who had not scored five runs in a game prior to Monday’s nightcap.

In the opener, Dawson didn’t get the same run support in a 5-1 Bobcat loss. The left-hander allowed seven hits and three earned runs on two walks and four strikeouts.

Marshalltown managed just five hits — all singles — against Mentink. Finch, Ciara Feldman, McKenna Major, Aspen Chadderdon and Alyvia Chadderdon each had a base-knock for the Bobcats.

Alicia Hoeft homered for Mason City.

Marshalltown is back at home tonight, hosting Urbandale in a conference doubleheader starting at 6 p.m.

Clarksville silences GMG softball bats

CLARKSVILLE — Kori Wedeking tossed a two-hitter and the Clarksville softball team remained unbeaten, defeating GMG 10-0 in five innings in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference contest.

Wedeking struck out eight and walked one for the Indians (9-0, 7-0), surrendering singles to GMG’s Kelsey Vaverka and Emily Vaughn.

Vaverka got the loss in the circle for the Wolverines (3-6, 2-3), allowing four earned runs on eight hits, seven walks and one hit batsman. She struck out four.

North Tama knocked off by Riceville

TRAER — Cameron Hoeg threw a three-hitter but the North Tama baseball team couldn’t back him with enough run support in a 3-2 loss to Riceville in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference showdown.

North Tama (7-4, 4-2) led 1-0 after the first inning before Riceville (4-5, 3-3) tied the score at 1-all in the fourth. The Wildcats put up two more runs in the top of the sixth, and the host Redhawks could only cut that deficit in half in their last at-bat.

Hoeg struck out 13, walked three and hit a batter in the hard-luck loss, allowing two earned runs. Cael Kopriva hit a triple and an RBI double, while Will Earley went 3-for-3 to lead the North Tama offense. Hoeg and Logan Zobel both added singles.

North Tama hosts Dunkerton on Friday night.

Indians ward off Wolverine baseball

CLARKSVILLE — A pair of three-run outbursts propelled the Clarksville baseball team past GMG 7-1 in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference tilt.

The Indians (5-3, 5-2) tallied three runs in both the third and sixth innings to keep GMG (4-4, 3-2) at bay. The Wolverines scored the game’s first run in the top of the second, but it was all Clarksville from there.

Levi Duden drove in GMG’s only run with a single in the second. Darrin Anderson and Matt Lolwing both contributed singles in the loss. Aaron Fleming went 5 2/3 innings as the Wolverines’ starting pitcher, allowing four earned runs on six hits, six walks and a hit batsman while striking out four.

Dakota Garretson struck out five in 6 2/3 innings on the mound for Clarksville.

STC baseball swept by No. 3 Vikings

VINTON — Class 3A No. 3 Vinton-Shellsburg scored a WaMaC Conference sweep of South Tama County in Monday’s baseball twinbill.

The host Vikings (9-0, 6-0) had to rally from behind in the first game, scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth to overcome a one-run deficit. STC pitcher Rian Simpson was the hard-luck loser on the mound, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out six.

Colton Vest was 2-for-4 with a triple and Jackson Beltz went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored for the Trojans.

Vinton-Shellsburg piled up 16 hits in the nightcap, a 16-1, four-inning victory. Tanner Davis was 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored for the Vikings, while pitcher Nathan Struve struck out nine and walked four in his four-hitter.

Vest finished 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run scored to lead the STC bats. Lane Koch added an RBI single and Carter Kriegel also singled for the Trojans (4-3, 3-3).

Tigers get first win at G-R’s expense

ELDORA — Cade Spieker struck out seven over six innings and Seth Lindaman got the last three outs for the save as South Hardin scored its first win of the season, beating Gladbrook-Reinbeck 9-8 in Monday’s NICL West Division match.

Aaron Nederhoff, Colton Haley and Lindaman each drove in two runs for the host Tigers (1-3, 1-2), who rallied from an early 7-0 deficit thanks to a five-run third. South Hardin trailed 8-7 before scoring twice in the home half of the sixth against G-R relief pitcher Bryce Schick.

Jacob Vander Wilt was 3-for-3 to lead the Tigers offensively, scoring twice.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (3-2, 1-1) piled up 11 hits. Kyle Koppen went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and two runs scored, while Caden Kickbush was 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. Joe Smoldt finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.