Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4
    Over the course of the weekend (April 11th and 12th), the Heartland Softball team played four conference games split between the John Wood Blazers and the Lewis & Clark Trailblazers. After dropping two against the Blazers on the road, the Hawks returned to the Corn Crib, where they won the doubleheader against the Trailblazers.

Game One vs. JWCC
    Heartland Softball started on top to start their weekend. After an unearned run scored in the first for the Blazers, the Hawks made a quick response at the top of the second. After a walk from Araceli Condie-Espinosa to lead things off, Ellie Ward made solid contact for a double to score the first run. The shortstop, Nataliha Oleniczak, singled to put the offense in the lead. A two-run homer from Sophie Beckett for her third of the season closed out the runs in the 2nd to put Heartland up 4-1. Oleniczak led the rest of the game at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. The team ended game one with five hits through seven innings.
    Despite the performance at the plate, the Blazers responded and capitalized on the Heartland defensive errors. Keearrah Brown stepped on the mound for game one, pitching the six innings. The freshman threw 107 pitches, facing 36 batters. The hurler gave up 11 hits and only three earned runs of the Blazers' 8 that they accumulated throughout five innings. She added four strikeouts to her season total, making it 22 strikeouts on the year. The game ended with the Blazers on top 8-4.

Game Two vs. JWCC
    The second game was a strong performance from both teams till the very end. The game ended with another loss for the Hawks as they fell to the Blazers 4-6.
Tayla Eaves started on the mound and threw the six innings for the defense. Through 28 batters, the sophomore allowed eight hits and five earned runs with one walk and one strikeout.
    Ward stayed hot at the plate with three hits and one run scored. Adding two hits to the team's total of 10, freshmen Olivia Kobel and Beckett. They fell to the Blazers 0-3 early in the game until the fifth inning, when a single to left from Brown tied the game. Despite a single in the top of the seventh from Oleniczak to close the lead for the Blazers, the Hawks still fell short, losing 4-6.

    After the two losses, Heartland had to turn around quickly as they hosted the Lewis & Clark Community College Trailblazers for another doubleheader under the clouds.

Game One vs. LCCC
    The Hawks got on board early when the top of the lineup put the ball in play in a big way. Beckett led things off with a bunt to reach first and ended up scoring on a two-run home run from the Hawks' offensive leader, Shelby Oakley. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that the Hawks were able to hit home again. Bella Johnson stepped up to the plate and ended up on second with a double to start things off. A single from Kendall Lowery drove the run in to make the score 3-1. The following inning, the Hawks added some insurance with RBIs from Johnson and Lowery, capping their total at 6.
    Eaves started in the circle for game one, where she gave up two hits and one earned run over seven innings. The right-handed pitcher struck out four and walked none to end her outing. The Hawks would end up winning the game 6-2 and were able to keep that momentum going into game two.

Game Two vs. LCCC
    The second game started off quietly at the plate for the Hawks when they waited for the fourth inning to get on the board. Already down by two, the offense looked to answer back, and they did just that when Oakley homered for her second of the day with a solo shot to left field. Ward reached on an error and was able to score on a line drive from Johnson to tie things up at two. After falling behind to the Trailblazers once again, the Hawks couldn't wait to squeeze ahead when Oakley added two more RBIs to her total of three for game two, putting the team ahead 5-3.
    Keearrah Brown earned the win for Heartland softball. The right-handed pitcher gave up eight hits and four runs over the seven innings pitched. The freshman struck out one batter and walked two through 30 batters. The defense was strong, committing only one error in the top of the first and turning two double plays through the seven innings of defense. The Hawks took the final game 6-4 and the series against the Trailblazers winning 3 of the 4 games played.

    Following the long weekend, Heartland Softball takes a break in the beginning of the week until they return to the Corn Crib for a doubleheader against Illinois Central College on April 16th.