The Iowa Falls-Alden summer sports teams lost a pair of tough matchups in their annual trip to Algona on Monday. The softball team lost 3-2 and the baseball team fell 11-1 in six innings.
In the softball game both offenses were limited with the wind blowing in, Algona brought home the first run of the game on an IFA throwing error in the first inning. The Cadets were hitless through the first three innings and rallied in fourth with a Cidni Phipps sac fly to tie the game at 1-1. Phipps in the sixth inning gave the Cadets a 2-1 lead on an RBI single. Algona loaded the bags in the bottom of the sixth and plated a pair for a 3-2 and closed out the comeback win allowing only one Cadet baserunner in the seventh.
IFA Head Coach Emily Banken says Phipps is dependable for the Cadets and the mindset in the dugout is that each game is a fresh start to go and give your best.
“She’s always pretty reliable, we know what we are going to get out of her, which is good for us,” says Banken. “I just try to remind them, we can compete with all of these teams in the conference, and to not let one or two bad nights affect you, and go out every single day and do your best. I think that they’ll bounce back, and hopefully we can get a couple of wins this week.”
The Cadets were led by Cidni Phipps who pitched six innings, allowing two earned runs with five strikeouts and added two RBI’s. IFA (6-11, 4-6 NCC) will remain on the road against Clear Lake on Tuesday to makeup a postponed game from June 17.
In the baseball game, Algona got the bats going in the third and fourth inning enroute to a 8-0 lead. The Cadets scored a single tally in the fifth to extend the game. The Bulldogs added two in the sixth to extend their lead to 11-1 and end the game early.
IFA (4-12, 3-7 NCC) will also be at Clear Lake on Tuesday to makeup a postponed game from June 17.
