LE GRAND — The Class 2A No. 8 East Marshall softball team bounced back from defeat by blanking Vinton-Shellsburg 8-0 in five innings on Friday night.

Junior pitcher Peyton Grabenbauer twirled a two-hit shutout and hit a home run to lead the Mustangs (6-2), who fell in extra innings at Grundy Center a night earlier.

Grabenbauer struck out seven, walked one, and allowed only two singles to the visiting Vikings (2-8). Vinton-Shellsburg leadoff batter Harper Hrubes singled to start the game and got all the way to third base, but she was stranded there. Hrubes was the only Viking baserunner to advance beyond first.

Grabenbauer’s first homer of the season led off the bottom of the second, and she added a two-run double in the third.

Peyton and Miyah Grabenbauer, Bailey Grant and Delaney Ryan each had two hits for East Marshall.

Zahnd’s first homer helps West Marshall pummel Perry

STATE CENTER — The West Marshall softball team pounced on Perry for a 10-0, four-inning victory over the Jayettes on Thursday night in Heart of Iowa Conference play.

West Marshall pitcher Aubree Greenwood tossed a two-hitter while hitting a batter and striking out five. The Trojans (6-3, 4-1) supported her with five runs in the bottom of the first inning and 11 hits overall.

Senior Lily Zahnd hit her first career home run, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Rachel Randall was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, while Lillian Fischer was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs.

Riley Randall was 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs, while Savanna Davenport contributed an RBI double to help beat the Jayettes (1-2, 1-2).

Spartan baseball improves to 8-0 by blanking Mustangs

GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center baseball team remained unbeaten, improving to 8-0 with a 9-0 triumph over East Marshall in an NICL West Division clash here Thursday night.

The Spartans (8-0, 4-0) scored three runs in the first and fourth innings and scored at least once in five of their six at-bats. Judd Jirovsky struck out 15 in a two-hit shutout, facing only two more than the minimum for the win.

Ryder Slifer went 3-for-4 at the plate, hitting a double and driving in four runs to lead Grundy. Brayden Davie was 2-for-4 with a run and two stolen bases. Ryker Thoren was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

East Marshall starting pitcher Jackson Busch went two innings, allowing five runs on five hits and three total walks for the loss. Blake Neuroth and Busch had the team’s only hits — both singles — for the Mustangs (2-5, 1-1).

Grundy Center outlasts East Marshall in 11 innings

GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center softball team ended a seven-inning scoreless drought with Allison Koch’s game-winning single in the 11th inning, driving home Khloe Bartels to lift the Spartans to a 5-4 victory over Class 2A No. 8 East Marshall in Thursday’s NICL West Division showdown.

The two teams were tied at 4-all after four innings, and neither team scored again until Grundy Center got the game-winner in the bottom of the 11th. Camdyn Aronson led off the inning with a single and Bartels ran for her, moving up on a sacrifice bunt by Trinity Jirovsky.

Koch came through in the clutch for the home team, delivering the Spartans’ first win over East Marshall since 2022.

Koch finished 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs to lead Grundy Center (4-2, 3-0). Evelyn Geerdes was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Macey Kiewiet pitched 6 1/3 innings of relief for the win, allowing no runs on two hits, three total walks and six strikeouts.

Peyton Grabenbauer took the loss in the circle for the Mustangs (6-2, 1-1), allowing three earned runs on nine hits and six walks while striking out six.

Bailey Grant was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, and Ashtyn Wheater was 3-for-5 as well. Delaney Ryan was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, and Grabenbauer had the team’s only other hit.