ELDORA — East Marshall softball took down South Hardin twice in a pair of NICL West matchups on the road on Monday.

The Mustangs won the opener, 8-2, and claimed the nightcap against the Class 2A No. 8 Tigers by a 4-1 margin.

A big sixth inning swung Game 1 in East Marshall’s direction, scoring five runs on RBIs for Vaeda Bryan, Rayne McIlrath, Peyton Grabenbauer, Bailey Grant and Ashtyn Wheater.

Grabenbauer was 3-for-5 at the plate in the opener, smacking two doubles and driving in four runs.

In the circle, Mustang pitcher Morgan Neuroth struck out 10 with eight hits and three walks allowed in Game 1.

Grabenbauer got the start in Game 2, striking out seven with no earned runs allowed on five hits and one walk. Grabenbauer added another RBI in the twinbill finale, as did Grant, McIlrath and Bryan.

East Marshall had recently dropped out of the rankings after appearing in the preseason rankings at No. 8.

Jirovsky brothers, Spartans wrangle Wolverines

DIKE — Tate and Judd Jirovsky combined for more than five scoreless innings on the mound and Grundy Center handled Dike-New Hartford, 7-2, on Monday.

Tate struck out six with two walks and four hits allowed in 2 â…” innings; Judd added eight more outs with four strikeouts, no walks and two hits allowed.

At the plate, Judd Jirovsky had two hits with four runs batted in. Ryker Thoren added a 3-for-3 night at the dish, scoring three times. The Spartans also benefited from 10 walks issued by Wolverine pitching.

Grundy Center (4-3) did not play their scheduled Tuesday tilt at Aplington-Parkersburg due to field conditions. The Spartans are scheduled to return to action at home on Wednesday against Union.

West Marshall baseball nines bash Bluejays

PERRY — West Marshall baseball pounded out 16 hits in an 18-1, four-inning romp at Perry in Heart of Iowa action on Monday.

Owen Siegert was a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with four runs batted in. Noah DeSotel was 2-for-3 with 4 RBI and Dawson Bear, Evan Siegert and AJ Dee all brought home two runs each.

The Trojans scored four runs in the first, then eight in the second and sped to the finish line with six runs in the fourth.