Greene County was a 9-5 Heart of Iowa Activities Conference softball winner on Wednesday night in Jewell vs. South Hamilton. Coach Tom Kennedy’s team improved to 1-1 on the season and in the conference while the Hawks fell to 0-2 in the league and overall. A five run outburst in the second inning put the Rams ahead to stay. The lead was 5-1 after two innings, then 7-2 through the third and fourth innings. SH put three on the board in the fifth inning to close the gap to 7-4. The Rams scored two more runs in the sixth and the Hawks answered with a single sixth inning run to cap the scoring at 9-5.

Freshman Alaina Heard pitched all seven innings for her first varsity victory. She recorded 10 strikeouts, walked three, and allowed five hits. Only three of the SH runs were earned. Heard had a two run double and a single for her first varsity hits. Kaycee Pittman added three singles and one RBI., Daniele Madsen singled twice and drove in a run while Payton Kokenge had two singles and one run batted in. Makenna Ebersole knocked in a run with a single and Addison Gannon and Alivya Smith also had base hits. Smith’s was her first on the varsity level.

Greene County’s defense was charged with just one error, and it turned in some very good plays. In the seventh inning, shortstop Morlan moved to her left, scooped up a ground ball close to second base, squared up and fired a strike to Madsen at first base for the second out of the inning.

The softball team is off tonight, then it’s back on the road Friday evening in Roland vs. Roland-Story.