FORTY-PLUS

The Iowa Central softball team honored their sophomores in style on Saturday at Rogers Park.

On sophomore day, the Tritons (41-6 overall, 19-4 in the ICCAC), the Tritons swept Ellsworth 5-1 and 12-4.

This is the first time since the 2019 season the Tritons have reached the 40-win mark. The sophomores have gone 78-27 over the last two seasons, including a 29-11 record at home.

“Two more big conference wins,” said Iowa Central head coach Bo Tjebben. “They all played well on Sophomore Day.

“Not done yet. We have to keep grinding. One game at a time.”

Iowa Central got behind in the 12-4 victory, as Ellsworth scored and took a 2-0 lead after two innings, before the Triton bats awoke.

Iowa Central scored two in the second and six in the third to take an 8-4 lead, while tacking on two more in the fourth and fifth, pounding out 13 hits.

Sophomores Carly Ryan and Kaylee Cary both had home runs. Ryan had two hits and drove in three runs, while Cary had two hits and four RBI.

Sophomores Breanna Nolte and Reagan Enright had doubles. Sophomores Cailyn Hardy and Jayda Long had two hits each. Nolte, Enright and Avery McKinney each had an RBI.

Long (19-3) increased her strikeout total to 110 and 197 for her career. She allowed three hits and struck out two batters.

Iowa Central broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run fifth inning and tacked one more on in the sixth on seven hits.

Gracie Kirk had a home run. Note had two hits. Cary and Nolte had doubles. Sophomore Sydney Wilson drove in two runs, to go along with Kirk’s RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Jadeyn Stahr earned the win. She allowed five hits and struck out two.

The Tritons are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Cedar Rapids to face Kirkwood in a doubleheader.