WALKER - An inside-the-park home run is one of the most exciting plays  in college softball as the batter races around the bases and beats the  throw to the plate.

There were four of them Sunday in the Iowa Women's Softball League as  Lindsey Culver, Haley McFarlane, Ceara Larson and Payton Akers all  turned the trick at the spacious ballpark in Walker.

Emil's Hideaway and the Metro Sports Report split their doubleheader  in the first two games, then Ironside Apparel and Bosch Financial did  likewise in their twinbill.

Bosch Financial stayed in first place in the IWSL after three weeks of  the season with a 4-1-1 record.

EMIL'S HIDEAWAY 3, METRO SPORTS REPORT 1

Emma Olejniczak of Iowa pitched four strong innings for Emil's  Hideaway in their 3-1 victory over the Metro Sports Report in the  opener.

Olejniczak allowed one unearned run on two hits and got the victory.  Abby Carlin tossed two shutout innings with three strikeouts for the  save.

Brie Tauber snapped a 1-1 tie for Emil's in the bottom of the fifth  inning with an RBI single and raced all the way home on the play for  an insurance run.

METRO SPORTS REPORT 4, EMIL'S HIDEAWAY 1

Lindsey Culver of South Dakota State belted her fourth inside-the-park  homer of the season to give the Metro Sports Report a 4-1 lead with a  solo shot in the fifth inning.

Katie Cubbage of Kirkwood pitched six strong innings for the victory,  allowing one run on three hits.

IRONSIDE APPAREL 5, BOSCH FINANCIAL 4

Haley McFarlane of Saint Cloud State socked her inside-the-park homer  with a runner on base in the fourth inning to help Ironside Apparel  nip Bosch Financial, 5-4, in the first game of their doubleheader.

Ann Smolenski of Winona State was 2-for-3 with a double, triple and  two RBIs for Ironside Apparel, including the game-winning RBI that  snapped a 4-4 tie. McKenna Moenk of Mount Mercy was 2-for-3 with a  double and RBI for Ironside.

Payton Akers of Kirkwood collected the victory in relief with two  scoreless innings.

Ceara Larson of Lawrence University ripped a two-run double for Bosch  Financial. Georgia Porter of Simpson and Natalie Blank of Coe both had  two hits and an RBI for Bosch.

BOSCH FINANCIAL 9, IRONSIDE APPAREL 5

Larson hit her inside-the-park homer with the bases loaded in the  third inning to help Bosch Financial take an early 7-0 lead.

Blank was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Bosch. Sophie Maras of DMACC and Liv  Erickson of Simpson scored two runs. Ciera Hansen of Loras had two  hits. Lexi Berry of Mount Mercy socked a triple.

Akers hit her inside-the-park homer with two runners on base as  Ironside scored five times to pull within 7-5 in the fifth inning. Jen Giesey of Winona State was 2-for-2 with a triple. Erica Oler of UNI  was 2-for-2 with an RBI. McFarlane had an RBI double.

Nicole Timmons of Drake pitched the first four innings for Bosch  Financial. She struck out 10 batters with two hits and no runs in a  sparkling performance.

IOWA WOMEN'S SOFTBALL LEAGUE
Sunday's Results
At Walker

Emil's Hideaway 3, Metro Sports Report 1
Metro Sports Report 4, Emil's Hideaway 1
Ironside Apparel 5, Bosch Financial 4
Bosch Financial 9, Ironside Apparel 5

Standings

Bosch Financial       4-1-1
Metro Sports Report   3-3-0
Emil's Hideaway       2-3-1
Ironside Apparel      2-4-0

Schedule for June 28

11 a.m. - Ironside Apparel vs Metro Sports Report (DH)
3 p.m. - Emil's Hideaway vs Bosch Financial (DH)