Kirkwood bashes its way to regional softball title

CEDAR RAPIDS – When Morgan Frost swings at pitches she shouldn't, Kirkwood softball coach Joe Yegge tells her to find her wheelhouse.

The Kirkwood freshman found plenty to her liking on Monday.

Frost tallied three hits and drove in two runs, including a solo home run to start a seven-run third inning as the fourth-ranked Eagles routed Iowa Lakes, 14-3 in five innings, and claimed an NJCAA Division II regional championship at Kirkwood.

'I've been chasing stuff that probably isn't the best for me to hit,' Frost said. 'It was really fouling off the pitches that I knew I wasn't going to hit hard and waiting for the one that I knew I could drive.'

The home run was the 10th this season for Frost, who added an RBI single in the fourth inning. Payton Mercer made it back-to-back solo homers when she followed up Frost's blast with her ninth home run. Mercer capped the third-frame explosion with an RBI single and finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs.

Nine different Eagles collected a hit, an exception being leadoff hitter Taylor Nearad – who happens to lead NJCAA Division II in batting average, home runs and RBIs.

'If you're not doing well, someone is going to pick you up, it doesn't matter who,' Frost said. 'It depends on the day. It could be anyone else and you just know you always have someone to have your back out there, whether it is on defense or offense.'

Freshman Maddie Hansen – who prepped at Cedar Rapids Jefferson – gave Kirkwood its first lead at 3-1 with a two-run single up the middle in the bottom of the second inning. The Ball State signee drove in a run in both the third (sacrifice fly) and fourth inning (single) and finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate with four RBIs.

'I just went up there with the mentality that I'm going to get my pitch, look for my pitch and drive my pitch,' Hansen said.

Sophomore pitcher Nicky Simpson struck out five and improved to 27-5 this season, which ranks second in all of Division II in wins. Kirkwood reached the afternoon title game after former Clear Creek Amana pitcher Lexi Kinnaird earned her 23rd victory in a 9-1 five-inning triumph over Iowa Lakes (26-24).

'Nicky is a hard-throwing, down-ball pitcher,' Yegge said. 'Lexi throws hard and she is an up-ball pitcher. Nicky is a little more power and Lexi spins it a little bit. … They just complement each other because they're different.'

Kirkwood (54-4) — winners of 30 games in a row — will host a best-of-three district series this weekend, with the winner earning a trip to the national tournament.

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