The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) softball team put together a 3-2 record while playing in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Leadoff Classic March 8 and 9 at Columbus, Ga.

The Bears earned victories against Central Alabama Community College (CACC) and Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) on March 8. They defeated Tallahassee Community College (TCC) on March 9 before dropping games to GCSC and Indian River State College (IRSC).

The 3-2 mark in the tournament gives DMACC a 6-3 record for the season.

Sophomore Mia Ruther of Burlington had two hits and scored the game's only run in the  fourth inning as DMACC defeated CACC, 1-0, in its tournament opener. Freshman Ally Pickering of Winterset had the Bears' only other hit in the win and drove in the only run.

Freshman Josie Swafford of Wellston, Okla., pitched all seven innings and came away with the win. She allowed four hits, struck out 11 and walked four.

Sophomore Avery Guy of Cedar Rapids and freshman Katie Slauson of Waukee had two hits apiece and sophomore Ellie Dixon of Iowa City drove in two runs as DMACC got its second tournament win with a 7-4 decision against GCSC.

The Bears took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and opened up a 6-0 lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings. They led 7-1 after six innings and limited GCSC to three runs in the seventh to come away with the victory.

Guy and freshman Elly Schuemann of Marion had doubles in the game and Schuemann, Swafford, Slauson and freshman Maddie Karr of Center Point drove in one run apiece.

Sophomore Peyton Parker of La Porte City threw all seven innings and got the win. She allowed one run on three hits, struck out 12 and walked one.

Freshman Ally Anderson of Atlantic homered and drove in three runs and Ruther and Karr collected two RBIs apiece as DMACC defeated TCC, 10-2, on March 9. The game was called after five innings because of the mercy rule.

Karr had three hits in the win and freshman Morgan Lewis of Cedar Rapids, Ruther, Swafford and sophomore Kaisha Wells of Topeka, Kan., had two hits apiece.

DMACC took a 5-1 lead in the first inning and led 7-1 after two innings. TCC made it a 7-2 game with a run in the top of the fifth before the Bears ended it with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Anderson pitched the first four innings and got the win. She allowed one run on six hits, struck out three and walked two. Freshman Dana Dunbar of Chadron, Neb., threw one inning, allowing one run on one hit. She walked one batter.

GCSC avenged its earlier loss to DMACC with a 4-2 win in the Bears' second game on March 9. Karr and Schuemann had two this apiece for the Bears and Pickering and Karr each drove in one run. The Bears led 2-0 after three innings, but GCSC scored three runs in the top of the fifth and added another in the top of the seventh to get the win.

Swafford pitched five and a third innings and suffered the loss. She allowed three runs on four hits, struck out three and walked two. Parker worked an inning and two-thirds, allowing one run on two hits. She walked one batter.

DMACC was limited to two hits, singles by Karr and Slauson, in a 5-0 loss to IRSC in the Bears' final game of the tournament. IRSC scored three runs in the bottom of the third and added its final two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Parker threw two and two-thirds innings for DMACC and took the loss. She allowed three runs on five hits and walked two batters. Dunbar pitched an inning and a third, allowing two runs on four hits. She struck out one and walked three. Anderson worked the final two innings, striking out one batter and walking one.

The DMACC softball team will play Allen County Community College (ACCC), Labette Community College (LCC), Neosho County Community College (NCCC) and Johnson County Community College over the next several days. The Bears will face ACCC March 17 at Iola, Kan., LCC March 18 at Parsons, Kan., NCCC March 19 at Chanute, Kan., and JCCC March 20 at Overland Park, Kan.