Unlikely comeback spurs Kennedy to an MVC softball split with Linn-Mar

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Kennedy Cougars were a team in desperate need of a pick-me-up.

The got it Tuesday night, in unlikely fashion.

Class 5A eighth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy constructed a two-out sixth-inning rally against Linn-Mar ace Emily Koranda, and earned a Mississippi Valley Conference softball split, 6-5, on its home field.

“I’m happy to see that we were up for competing in that situation,” Cougars Coach Maddison LeClere said. “They embraced the idea that, hey, here’s a chance ... we have to compete.”

They did it against Koranda, who entered Tuesday’s twinbill with a 0.00 ERA (in 23 innings), and who handcuffed the Cougars (3-9 overall, 3-7 MVC) with a 15-strikeout four-hitter in the opener.

“I stick by (the decision to bring her in),” Linn-Mar Coach Maddy Colbert said, justifiably. “Kennedy is a good team that has faced a tough schedule, a tough start.”

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A commit of Missouri State University who lost her junior season due to injury, Koranda entered with Linn-Mar (8-1, 5-1) leading 5-4 in the middle of the sixth. She got the first two outs, then pinch-hitter Liliana Hansen got the Cougars going with a double.

“(Koranda) is a really good pitcher,” Kennedy’s Peyton Stineman said. “But we’d seen her for seven innings in the first game.

“Liliana crushed the ball, and that got us going.”

Kate Dyar drew a walk, then Stineman singled home the tying run and Lily Knutson knocked home the go-ahead tally.

A double play in the top of the seventh nailed down a feel-good split for the Cougars.

Linn-Mar rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring four times in the top of the fourth for a 4-2 advantage. Karsyn Michael’s RBI single in the top of the sixth put the Lions back in front, 5-4.

But Kennedy answered. It would be an exaggeration to call it a season-saver.

Season-changer? Perhaps.

“We can beat anybody on the field with us,” Stineman said.

Koranda and the Lions rolled in the opener. Linn-Mar scored twice in the first inning, twice more in the third and were never threatened.

“Any time you get a split on the road against a good team, you have to be pretty happy,” Colbert said.

Linn-Mar 5-5, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 1-6

At C.R. Kennedy

GAME 1

Linn-Mar 202 010 0 — 5 5 0

C.R. Kennedy 000 010 0 — 1 4 4

Emily Koranda and Kaylie Alvey. Lily Knutson and Dylan Amling. W — Koranda (5-0). L — Knutson (2-4).

GAME 2

Linn-Mar 000 401 0 — 5 9 0

C.R. Kennedy 020 022 x — 6 8 3

Brynna Gander, Emily Koranda (6) and Kaylie Alvey. Peyton Stineman and Dylan Amling. W — Stineman (1-4). L — Koranda (5-1). HR — CRK: Teagan Chrisman (4).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com