Kirkwood Softball

Pitching gems send Eagles to World Series

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - DoniRae Mayhew pitched a no-hitter and Natalie Halvorson followed with a perfect game Thursday as the fifth-ranked Kirkwood Eagles dominated Nebraska Central, 10-0 and 9-0, to win the district softball title in Nebraska.

Kirkwood (48-11) earned a spot in the NJCAA Division II World Series for the fourth straight year and for the sixth time during Joe Yegge's 11 seasons as head coach.

The national tournament will be held in Clinton, Miss., from May 16-19.

Mayhew (20-3) struck out five batters in the first game, which ended after five innings due to the college mercy rule.

Halvorson (25-8) did not allow any runners to reach base in the second game, which ended in the bottom of the sixth inning on a three-run walk-off homer by Monika Bevans.

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Mayhew, Stewart lead all-region softball

DoniRae Mayhew and Rachel Stewart of Kirkwood have received two of the top honors on the all-region softball team.

Mayhew has been named the NJCAA Region XI Offensive Player of the Year and is  hitting .442 with 28 home runs and 84 RBIs. She leads the nation in homers and RBIs.

Stewart, a shortstop, has been named the Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring Kirkwood's infield. She's hitting .480 with 13 homers and 60 RBIs. Stewart leads the nation with 95 runs and is tied for first with 94 hits.

Natalie Halvorson, Monika Bevans and Lauren Kuch of Kirkwood were named first team in Region XI. Halvorson, a pitcher, is 24-8 with two saves and a 2.52 ERA. She has 147 strikeouts in 169 2/3 innings, with only 25 walks.

Bevans, a catcher, is hitting .484 with 15 homers and 68 RBIs. Kuch, a left fielder, is hitting .454 with 12 homers and 63 RBIs.

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Mayhew leads Eagles to regional title

Kirkwood softball coach Joe Yegge wasn't sure who to pitch in the regional finals on Sunday because DoniRae Mayhew has battled a sore arm the last few weeks and looked a little wobbly in the regional semifinals on Saturday.

Yegge sent his star a text message Saturday night to get a better feel for the situation.

"Last night I asked her, 'How do you feel?,'" he said Sunday afternoon, "and she goes, 'Give me the ball.'

"I've been waiting two years to hear her say something like that."

Case closed.

"He texted me last night and asked if I wanted the ball for the first game and I was like, 'Of course I do! Is that even a question?," the talented right-hander confirmed.

Mayhew tossed a two-hitter and helped her own cause with a two-run homer as the fifth-ranked Eagles spanked Iowa Central, 11-1, in five innings to capture the regional title at the Kirkwood field.

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Kaste, Bevans deliver for No. 5 Eagles

Miranda Kaste and Monica Bevans are not planning to play college softball after they finish their careers at Kirkwood this season, but they've both left the door ajar.

After what they did Saturday, it might be tough for either Eagle to put their bats and gloves away for good.

Kaste belted two clutch home runs and Bevans snapped a 5-5 tie with a two-run double as the fifth-ranked Eagles escaped Iowa Central, 8-5, in the second round of the regional tournament at Kirkwood.

Kaste, who is not known as a power hitter, slammed a long homer to right field to tie the game, 1-1, in the fifth inning and get all those goose-eggs off the scoreboard.

She came up again in the sixth inning and belted a long two-run homer to center field to tie the game again, 5-5, and set the stage for Bevans' heroics a little later in the inning.

Kirkwood (45-11) will face Iowa Central (32-27) again Sunday at high noon in the championship round of the double-elimination tournament.

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