IMS Softball bounced back after a tough weekend at the Washington Softball Classic to beat Lone Tree 5-2 on the road in Southeast Iowa Superconference play Monday night. IMS struck first in the second inning touching up Lone Tree starter Avery Edwards for three runs on three hits including RBI’s from Keilah Brokaw and McKayla Brush. After the game IMS Head Coach Kim Wood talked about how important it was for her team to jump ahead first.

“That was very important [to get the lead], I think that really set the tone for the game, and we didn’t let up in that second, and the girls played with a big heart,” Wood said.

IMS starter Laura Hochstedler would make that early lead stand up, making things tough on the Lady Lions, not allowing a Lone Tree hit until the fifth inning. Lone Tree would break through in that inning with three total hits and one run as Avery Edwards scored on a Dezi Martinez RBI base hit making the score 3-1. Following the game Lone Tree Head Coach Tom Dickey talked about his team’s progress and the nice night by Martinez.

“First off I have to give IMS credit, they fought harder than we did, they played harder, they wanted it more than we did, and that’s t he thing we need to work on, we have to learn to fight through adversity and understand that there are going to be things that don’t go your way during a softball game, and if you want them to go your way, you have to fight back and continue to play hard,” Dickey said. “Dezi Martinez, this is her first night that she has done much batting for us, and it is her first night in right field, and my thought is she just played an outstanding game, and one thing about Dezi is, she just plays the game hard all of the time, we need to have nine players that play as hard as she does.”

IMS would post a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on RBI walks from Hannah and Naomi Miller. Lone Tree would threaten in their final at bat leading off with a Mackenzie Reynolds single and an RBI double from Avery Edwards but Hochstedler would rebound to retire the next three Lone Tree hitters in order to secure the win. Hochstedler went the distance allowing five hits, two runs, both were earned, striking out eight while walking four. IMS was led offensively by Casey Perez who was three for four with two runs scored and Keilah Brokaw who was two for two with two runs scored, and an RBI. Edwards took the loss for Lone Tree going all seven allowing 10 hits, five runs, walking five and striking out three. Martinez was one for one for Lone Tree with a single and an RBI. IMS is now 6-9 on the year and hosts Wapello tonight, Lone Tree falls to 4-11 and will travel to league leader Highland on Tuesday.