Metro Sports Report

KCRG 9.2 shows all the IWSL action

The folks from KCRG 9.2 spent more than 12 hours at Busse Field Sunday  and gave its audience of full dose of action from the Iowa Women's  Softball League.

The local TV station showed all four games in the IWSL and was treated  to four exciting games, with none of the contests decided by more than  three runs.

BOSCH FINANCIAL 5
EMIL'S HIDEAWAY 2

Autumn McDanel of Belmont tossed a five-hitter with seven strikeouts  as Bosch Financial trimmed Emil's Hideaway, 5-2, in the first game of  their doubleheader.

Lexi Merritt of Grand View had a big two-run double for Bosch and  scored twice. Olivia Heckel of Stevenson was 2-for-2 with an RBI and  Peyton Bruner of Mount Mercy contributed an RBI single.

3 IWSL games end in ties

The teams are so evenly balanced in the Iowa Women's Softball League  this year that it's hard to pick a winner.

That was the case Sunday when three of the four games at Busse Field  ended in ties.

The IWSL carefully monitors each pitcher, to make sure they do not  throw too much in a summer league game and jeopardize their careers.  So when a pitcher is done for the day, she's done. And if a team does  not have a deep bullpen, a game can end in a tie.

Emil's Hideaway blanked Hawkeye Convenience Stores, 3-0, on a combined  no-hitter by Kelsey Aikey of Western Kentucky and Abby Carlin of  Western Illinois in the first game of their doubleheader. The second  game of the twinbill ended in a 4-4 deadlock.

Bosch Financial and Ironside Apparel, which have the two best records  in the IWSL, then played two straight games that ended in 3-3 ties in  both contests.

The purpose of the Iowa Women's Softball League is to give all the  players an opportunity to play during the summer and sharpen their  skills, with little concern for wins and loses. Or ties.

3 Eagles named softball All-Americans

Kirkwood freshmen London Jackson, Erin Hocker and Shelby Hulsebus have been named NJCAA Division II All-Americans for the 2019 softball campaign.

Jackson, a third baseman, was named a first team All-American by the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) after hitting .414 with 26 home runs and 72 RBIs. She led the nation in home runs this year and finished second in RBIs.

Hulsebus, a speedy outfielder, was named a first team All-American by the NFCA and a second team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). She hit .441 with 29 RBIs, led the nation with 58 stolen bases and was named the New Balance Golden Shoe winner by the NFCA.

Game Day bringing 35 teams from 6 states

The Game Day USA folks will be staging their second tournament at  Prospect Meadows this weekend, and this time they’re coming back with a healthy field of 35 teams from six midwestern states.

The first Game Day event here two weeks ago drew had only 11 youth  baseball teams, but school was still in session then and it was difficult for out-of-state clubs to make the journey to eastern Iowa.  That’s no longer the case.

There will be six brackets this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with 10U,  12U, 13U Gold, 13U Silver, 14U and 15U. All of the championship games are scheduled for Sunday at either 2 p.m. or 4 p.m.

Teams from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan and Iowa  will be competing on six of the eight regulation baseball fields at Prospect Meadows.