HAWKS SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE IN REGION XI-B TOURNAMENT AGAINST ELLSWORTH

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Northeast Community College softball team was back at Kirkwood Community College Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to compete in Day 2 of the Region XI-B Tournament. In Game 1 of the day and Game 3 of the event Ellsworth Community College took down the Hawks by a final score of 11-4.

The Hawks (24-28, 7-19 ICCAC) and Panthers were tied at two for most of the contest until the Panthers offense came to life in the middle innings. Greta Lindberg (Tekamah, Neb.) surpassed her 2021 home run total of 10 with her 11^th blast of the season to cut the lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the advantage the Panthers had gained proved to be too hefty. The Panthers were able to add to those nine runs and hold Northeast to end the Hawks season. 

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH

Interim head softball coach Jade Long's thoughts on how today's game played out:

"I thought that we competed well through those first three-to-four innings," Long said. "We weren't producing well offensively but defensively we were making the plays that we needed to shut them down."

How Long wants this team to be a building block for the program:

"I think that I've said the word momentum a million times this season and I think that it's just kind of that," Long said. "We made our little spark in the program and I think that next year's team needs to take that spark and light a fire with it so we can keep the program building and keep continuing to grow." 

How Long will remember this particular group of players:

"I think this is probably the most special team I've ever been around," Long said. "Playing and coaching. They'll always have their place in my heart. I think the fight and determination these sophomores and this team showed is something that I'll take with me for the next 20 years of coaching."

THANK YOU FANS

As the 2022 season winds down, the Northeast Community College softball team and Northeast Athletics would like to extend a thank you to all fans and supporters who were with us along the journey this year. We can't wait to see you all again for the 2023 season.  

HAWKS HAPPENINGS

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