The Marshalltown softball team set off some fireworks a day early.
The Bobcats hit four home runs in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader against Waterloo East, finishing off Iowa Alliance Conference North Division play with wins of 12-4 and 16-1 at the MHS diamond.
Bobcat sophomore Briley Danielson hit two home runs and freshman Ella DeMonte hit her first career homer — all in the same inning — to follow the lead set by senior Laney Danielson and her round-tripper an inning earlier.
Marshalltown (17-20, 6-10) scored eight runs in both the first and second innings to finish off the visiting Trojans in a four-inning finale. The Bobcats beat Waterloo East (4-24, 1-13) by a combined score of 58-6 in four games this season to improve to 10-2 against the Trojans since the Iowa Alliance Conference was formed.
The day got off to an auspicious start for the Bobcats, as Waterloo East scored the early lead with two runs in the top of the first. After stranding two runners on base in the bottom half, Marshalltown capitalized on its opportunities in the second. Four consecutive singles by Kaelyn Coleman, Brooklyn Smith, Gianna Baune and Olivia Wise led to a four-run outburst, giving the Bobcats the lead for good.
MHS tacked on two runs in the third, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth to reach the run-rule.
Briley and Laney both hit RBI doubles, Aubree Mundt hit a two-run triple, and the Bobcats belted 12 hits in the opener. Eighth-grader Rayelle Brott ended the game with an RBI single.
Briley pitched all five innings for the win, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Sophomore pitcher Hanna Osgood was the beneficiary of all the offense in Game 2, as she allowed just one run on three hits while walking none and striking out four.
Marshalltown kicked off the fireworks display right away in nightcap. Baune led off with a double, Wise walked and Laney launched a home run to give the Bobcats a 3-0 advantage three batters into their at-bat.
But it didn’t end there.
MHS sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, highlighted by RBI doubles for DeMonte and Baune. Wise closed the scoring with an RBI single, and Trojans starting pitcher Aubrey Mielke was removed one batter later.
Brianna Borseth didn’t have much more luck. Briley led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run, and she capped another eight-run explosion with a two-run homer later in the inning.
Somewhere in between, DeMonte drove her first varsity home run over the right-field fence, contributing to the fireworks display with a hard line drive and an ear-to-ear smile.
Baune went 3-for-3 in the game with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Bobcats’ 10-hit attack. Laney was 2-for-2 with a double, a homer, two RBIs and two runs; Briley was 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs; and DeMonte went 2-for-3 with a double, a dinger and three RBIs.
Marshalltown went 7-3 in playing 10 games in seven days, and the Bobcats close the regular season on the road Monday at Nevada. Next Thursday, MHS hosts Des Moines Lincoln in the first round of Class 5A Region 6 play.