Lady Hawks rolling with four straight

DONNELLSON – The Central Lee softball team has won four in a row after a loss to Class 3A, No. 8 Washington four days ago.
The Lady Hawks have racked up wins over Hillcrest, two over Holy Trinity Catholic, and a win over Danville on Friday night to move to 20-5 on the year.
The Class 3A, No. 14 Hawks rode 17 runs in the first two innings to roll to a 17-3 win over Danville.
Elaina Barlow got the win going all three innings surrendering seven hits and three runs, one earned, while fanning four and walking 1.  Carlee Pezley, Shanna Buford, and Kenna Sandoval each had two hits for the Hawks. Jaci Hawk scored three runs and had an RBI single. Buford had three RBIs and a run scored for Central Lee in the win. Sandoval was 2-2 with a homerun and two RBIs. Her homer was a solo blast in the second inning to center field.
On Thursday, the Hawks needed just four innings in each game to get by SEI Superconference and cross-county foe Holy Trinity Catholic. In the opener, Pezley and Sandoval each had two hits. Sandoval would get a homerun in the top of the first scoring Pezley and spotting the Hawks to a 2-0 lead. HTC’s Brooklyn Todd would score a run on a fielder’s choice in the bottom to make it 2-1 after one.
The Hawks would open things up in the top of the second with three more runs with Pezley, Hawk, and Barlow all getting RBIs. Barlow would get the win giving up just one run on five hits while striking out five and walking three. The Crusaders' Sydney Jarvis took the loss, allowing 10 runs, eight earned, on eight hits. HTC’s Elizabeth Griffin, Jarvis, Emily Ross, Ellie Hellman, and Kat DiPrima all had hits in the loss.
In the nightcap, Jayln Hawk got the win for Central Lee, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out four.
Central Lee scored one run in the first and then broke things open with seven runs in the bottom of the second.  They would add three insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth, enough to invoke the 10-run rule at 11-1. Sandoval was 2-3 for the Hawks with an RBI and two runs scored. Buford went 3-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. The senior had seven total bases in the game.
The Hawks improve to 20-5 on the year and lead the SEISC with a 9-1 mark – two wins ahead of West Burlington. Sandoval is now hitting a whopping team-high .609 with seven homers and 36 RBIs. Buford leads the Hawks with 39 RBIs. Her batting average is 13th best in the state in all classes and the seven homers rank her in the top 25. The 36 RBIs is 15th best. Buford’s 39 is ranked in the top 10 in the state.