PRAIRIE CITY — The Class 2A No. 1 West Marshall baseball team used a six-run second inning to take a lead it never relinquished on PCM in an eventual 14-3, six-inning victory over the Mustangs on Monday night.

The Trojans (18-1, 8-0) remained unbeaten in Heart of Iowa Conference play thanks in no small part to pitchers Vincent Clawson and Beckham DeSotel. Clawson allowed four runs — three earned — on four hits and five walks while striking out six in four innings. DeSotel pitched two shutout frames, striking out four to finish off the win.

DeSotel also went 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs and a run scored. Owen Siegert was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored, and the Trojans were beneficiaries of 12 total walks.

Nick Farver had two hits to lead PCM (6-7, 4-3).

East Marshall baseball rallies for a split

GRUNDY CENTER — The East Marshall baseball team rallied from a five-run deficit for a 6-5 victory over Grundy Center on Monday night to split their NICL West Division doubleheader.

The host Spartans (7-5, 4-3) claimed the opening game, 9-0, behind a combined two-hitter from pitchers Tate Jirovsky and Britt Meyer. In the nightcap, Grundy Center grabbed a 5-0 lead after four innings before East Marshall (5-10, 4-4) rallied with four runs in the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh.

Kaleb Grant was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Connor Kriegel was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored for the Mustangs in the nightcap. Pitcher Joryn Shively went all seven innings, allowing five runs on five hits and six walks while striking out one, but the Spartans didn’t score after the fourth inning.

Brody Zinkula and Hayden Geerdes had two hits and two RBIs each, including a double for Zinkula, to lead the Grundy Center offense. Brayden Davie got the loss, allowing two runs in the top of the seventh in his only inning of work. Ryker Thoren got a no-decision after tossing five innings of one-hit ball, walking two while striking out five.

Jirovsky allowed two hits and a walk over 4 2/3 innings to win the opener for the Spartans. Meyer walked two and struck out three in 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Pete Lebo had two hits, including a triple, and scored three runs to lead Grundy. Davie and Judd Jirovsky drove in two runs apiece.

Blake Neuroth and Jacob Farrington had hits for East Marshall in game one.

Mustangs take two from Spartan softball

GRUNDY CENTER — Complete-game pitching performances and plenty of offense paved the way for Class 2A No. 11 East Marshall to sweep Grundy Center 4-1 and 14-2 in Monday’s NICL West Division doubleheader at the George Wilhelm Sports Complex.

In the opening game, Morgan Neuroth tossed a four-hitter while hitting one batter and striking out eight in the 4-1 Mustang triumph. Rayne McIlrath and Peyton Grabenbauer both went 2-for-4, while Bailey Grant was 2-for-4 with a double.

Ava Mundt took the loss, allowing nine hits, three walks and a hit batter in the complete-game loss. She struck out three. Lucy Lebo had an RBI single, while Carlie Willis, Kyndra Dieken and Mundt added hits for the Spartans.

In the nightcap, East Marshall (14-2, 6-0) scored in six of seven at-bats to earn its 11th straight win. Grabenbauer scattered five hits and two walks in the win, striking out 10.

Ava Bringmann was 3-for-5 with a double and five RBIs to lead the Mustang bats. McIlrath also had three hits, while Vaeda Bryan singled, doubled and scored four times.

Maddy Hendershot took the loss for the Spartans (6-10, 1-5), walking five and striking out two. Lebo and Ava Heeren each hit doubles to lead the Grundy bats.

Clarksville softball outscores Redhawks

TRAER — Clarksville got out to a fast start and finished off the North Tama softball team for an 11-4 victory over the host Redhawks in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference contest.

The visiting Indians (8-4, 7-1) scored three times in the first inning and twice more in the second to lead from the outset. Claire Lodge was 5-for-5 with three doubles, three runs and five RBIs to lead Clarksville.

Addison Hochstetler, Gabriella Seda and Violet Seda each had two hits, including a double, to lead the Redhawks (3-5, 3-5). Violet drove in two runs while Gabriella and Faith Dvorak both plated one.

Adelyn Sienknecht took the loss in the circle, hitting one batter while striking out two as Clarksville compiled 20 hits.

STC softball swept by Vikings

VINTON — The South Tama softball team played its closest game of the season in the opener of Monday’s WaMaC West Division doubleheader against Vinton-Shellsburg, falling 13-7 before taking a 12-2, five-inning loss in the nightcap.

In the first game, the Trojans (0-12, 0-12) scored three times in the top of the third inning to get back to a 3-all tie, but the host Vikings (7-13, 3-9) had just a bit more offense than STC could account for.

Kaillee Keen went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the South Tama offense. Macie Mathes-Henle had an RBI double and scored a run, while Millie Mathes-Henle singled and drove in two runs. Isabelle Johannsen also had an RBI single as the Trojans scored more in this game (7) than in their other 11 games combined (6) this season.

Eighth-grade pitcher Layla Pansegrau walked three, hit three batters and struck out two in the loss, allowing seven earned runs on 13 hits.

Addy Chvala had four hits and three runs scored to lead Vinton-Shellsburg.

The Vikings were up to the challenge in game two as Grayce McClintock got a lot of help from her defense, allowing just six hits while striking out four in the five-inning finale. Peytin Clemensen homered for V-S while Olivia Hedrick drove in five runs.

Macie and Millie both had two hits, including a double, and scored a run for South Tama. Keen added an RBI single and Madison Hitchcock got a hit as well for the Trojans. Delayna Bear, also an eighth-grader, allowed six earned runs on 11 hits, two walks and two hit batters. She struck out two in the loss.

Redhawk baseball pushes past Clarksville

TRAER — The North Tama baseball team used a four-run eruption in the second inning to take the lead on Clarksville for good, beating the Indians 8-4 in Monday’s Iowa Star Conference clash.

Henry Hansen pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win, allowing three runs on four hits, two walks and two hit batsmen. He struck out seven.

Kolt Knaack went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and two RBIs to lead the Redhawks (11-6, 8-3). Kayvin Morris was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.